"I am rich and you are poor... let me show you how to get rich, I'd help you out... for a fee."... Now, that's basically the story line and catch for most so called internet "gurus" trying to convince you to part with money for programs or e-books put up on their webpage/report that would supposedly make you rich. They'll say virtually anything to sell a product or service... well, that's what internet marketing entails. However, most times, the programs/schemes don't work for the uninformed consumer. You'll eventually find out that there is more to it than what was advertised. Why would one proffer to HELP... "For a fee"? That's no longer "help"... its business! In our desperate bid to better our lives, we're often blinded by greed and forget our sense of reasoning... We've passed through this circle at one point or the other; often scammed, especially when we decide to jump into a field we know little or nothing about... just based on widespread deceitful slogans like "Make $300 in one hour", "I made $2,000,000 in one month", "Autopilot Money making machine"... and so on. These concepts, though possible, could ruin you if you're not armed with the right information or tools to get a head start. What works for them might not necessarily work for you... there are lots of background research and other factors to consider (which will be analysed later in other posts).

I came into the internet business, quite informed... but as the day go by; you often find out that life itself is a continuous learning process. You cannot relent in your quest for excellence as the scammers out there are devising new and more convincing ways to get you to part with your money. You just have to know what is involved... don't enter blindly and hope to get results overnight; it doesn't work that way. Stepping into the world of Making Money Online... from home or wherever is not as easy as most people will make it seem (so don't go quitting your day job hurriedly unless you've gotten a grasp of it)... It takes patience, focus, research, dedication, understanding and informed decisions to excel in the field.

Most times, we often jump in based on the "exciting" testimonials and "Potential Overnight Millionaire Status" that most program offer... only to find out that it's not really as easy as was "heard" or read. When stepping into the field, my focus had been against being scammed... of course I got my fingers scratched a few times but the cost were "minimal"; They were monies I could easily (and knowingly) afford to throw around... without feeling the pinch, used to test if the websites were true to their words, if not... bye money and website. I had programmed my mind against fraud and scammers right from the beginning... so, I was quite skeptical in my approach; That way, I made minimal errors and maximized profits... Making mistakes is ok if you make it a "learning process"... just don't make costly ones.

Fortunately, you don't have to throw away money to achieve this result anymore... There are better ways to detect fraudulent (scam) websites, programs and schemes online. There are lots of "get rich" online schemes out there... most of them very fraudulent; BIG SCAMs. Beware! Don't be deceived by the good and organized layout of the website's design. Here are few tips on knowing if those websites that offer "get rich" programs or schemes are scam sites:

• Do a search, using any related search engine (preferably Google). Type in the website domain name, a space then the word "scam" or "fraud" (or both). Example... "money.com scam fraud". You will be exposed to firsthand knowledge of the site's activities from former or existing users... which might just save you some money. The decision is yours.
• Check to see if the site runs an active forum where issues bothering around the activities of the site are discussed. You'll often learn a lot from the forum and know if the site is delivering based on experiences of members already in it.
• Does the site run an active support system? If there is one, try sending a support ticket on some basic requests and see if you get a response within say three days. Most scam sites don't respond to support tickets submitted. (Don't fall for auto-responders).
• If after the above steps, you still want to make payment of any form using your credit card details, make sure the web address on which you're entering your payment details starts with "https://" and not "http://". Also make sure the site has an authentic security certificate.
• My favorite of them all is this: Have the website address handy, then go to "siteadvisor.com" (provided by MacAfee)... paste the website address (e.g money.com) there and push "GO". MacAfee will provide the needed analysis of the website so you can make informed decision. This can also be achieved using "whois.com"; where you can get the registered owners of the website with their respective addresses/phone numbers... scammers normally change their addresses... so make enquiries before you make payment.

Remember, "if it looks too good to be true... most times, it probably is". Hold on to your money and use the "free membership" option where available... till you are sure of the site. You need to RESEARCH on the steps above, be SKEPTICAL and have a very good sense of JUDGEMENT... THE SCAMMERS ARE DECIETFULLY PERSUASIVE.