How to ID a scam

"But they said I would be rich! What happened?"

By Derek Gehl

You've heard the saying, "If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is."

Well, if you follow this principle when deciding how you'll make money on the Internet, you could save yourself a significant amount of grief in the future.

It seems like every day there's a new "get rich quick" scam popping up on the Internet promising, "If you have a pulse you will be rich before you know it!!!"

Unfortunately, the only ones who ever make a penny are the scammers! And they'll be gone long before you ever figure that out.

At every seminar we hold, we meet smart people who were duped by scammers like this -- and in many cases, taken for a small fortune. These are great people who have a genuine desire to succeed. They simply made one bad decision. Now they'll be paying for it, for months or even years.

So what's the best way to fight these scammers? The answer is simple: EDUCATION.

Today I'm going to educate you on how to filter the REAL money-making opportunities from all the B.S. out there, with my "Scam Detector Check List"!

Whenever you come across a possible business opportunity, simply consult this handy checklist. It'll help you discover if it really is a genuine opportunity -- or a genuine waste of money.

1. If they can't prove a successful track record -- it might be a scam

If you've never heard of them before -- and they can't offer solid proof they've got a successful track record -- then how can you trust them to help YOU make money?Be skeptical. Ask questions. Search for the URL in Google... are they listed? If you can't find any positive consumer reviews about them -- or if the only reviews you find are negative -- you should definitely think twice about doing business with them.

2. If they can't show you legitimate testimonials -- it might be a scam

If you are making a significant investment in a business opportunity, the company you are purchasing from should be willing to put you in contact with other successful students. We get this request all of the time, and have numerous successful students who are happy to give us a personal reference at a moment's notice.To take a look at how we use those testimonials on our salesletters, please visit: http://trk.marketingtips.com/track

As you'll see, we provide names, photographs, and URLs for every testimonial we use, so you can easily see that they're all coming from real people. In fact, we even use video testimonials on our sites. What better way to confirm testimonials are real than to get them straight from the source -- and watch people actually say them in their own words?

3. If they give you a product to sell, as well as the web site to sell it -- it might be a scam

If someone's offering to give you a product to sell, AND the website to sell it on, beware! Chances are hundreds -- if not thousands -- of other people are selling the exact same product with the exact same website. With so much competition, only a small percentage of sellers will ever make any money.That's why at IMC, we're so adamant about teaching our students how to find their own niche market and develop or find their own products to sell. It's the philosophy our entire training system is founded on.I truly believe niche marketing is the only GUARANTEED way to start a successful business on the Internet. Not using the same website to sell the exact same product that thousands of other people are selling!

4. If the company is charging you money to sell their products -- it might be a scam

If a company says you can sell their product and they will pay you a commission from each sale -- but you need to pay them for the opportunity to do so -- chances are it's a scam.The truth is, companies like this KNOW their "affiliates" aren't going to generate any sales. That's why they need to get your money up front!Take it from someone who's run a highly successful affiliate program for years. If someone wants to become an IMC affiliate and sell my products for me, I'd never make them pay! Why should they? They're doing me a favor!

5. If you cannot talk to them in person -- it might be a scam

Before you make a significant investment in a business opportunity, give the vendors a call. Talk to them in person. Ask them hard questions. If you cannot talk to them in person then don't do business with them!And finally, use common sense. If you apply the points above and ask lots of questions, chances are you will make the right decisions and pursue the right opportunities.Just remember: When it comes to online success, there is no magic pill. If you want to start a real business on the Internet you need to be prepared to put in the time and effort to get there.I can give you all of the strategies you need to make that happen. And I can break them down into easy-to-follow instructions.

But the rest is up to you!