Re: Mandatory Marketing Tool For Internet Businesses

In article <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
"Ken" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
>
> If your not already aware of it,

The Dirty Dozen
The FTC has identified its "Dirty Dozen". These are the twelve scams most likely to 
arrive via bulk e-mail in your e-mail box. Here are the "dirty dozen" and a brief 
explanation of why each is a scam:

Business Opportunities Scams:
These offers make it sound like it is very easy to start a business that will earn 
piles of money without much work, selling or cash. Many of these "opportunities" are 
actually illegal pyramid schemes or frauds that are masquerading as legitimate 
opportunities to earn money.

Make Money by Sending Bulk E-mail:
These solicitations offer to sell you bulk e mail lists (consisting of millions of e 
mail addresses), spam software (usually very poor in quality), or services to send 
spam on your behalf. Don't do this.

Chain Letters:
No list of scams would be complete without this old "favorite" - e mail style. Here 
you're asked to send a small amount of money (or some item) to each of four or five 
names at the top of the list, and then forward the message including your name at the 
bottom, via bulk e mail. Many of these letters claim they are legal - they are not. 
Further, nearly everyone who participates in these chain letters loses money. Even if 
there is a "product" such as a report on how to make money, it does not make these 
schemes legal.

Work-At-Home-Schemes:
The most common work-at-home scam promises that you'll earn money for stuffing 
envelopes. For example, you're promised you'll earn $2.00 for every envelope you 
stuff. In fact, there never is any real envelope stuffing employment available. 
Instead, you pay to register and then you're instructed to send the same 
envelope-stuffing ad via bulk e mail to others. The only money you can earn would come 
from others who fall for the scam and pay to register. Finally, if you did actually do 
work for one of these outfits (for example, some promise to pay you for craft work), 
they'd refuse to pay you and say your work didn't measure up to their "quality 
standards."

Health And Diet Scams:
These are similar to the miracle cures offered off-line: ways to lose weight without 
eating less or exercising, "scientific breakthroughs," "secret formulas" which provide 
cures for hair loss, and herbal formulas that liquefy fat cells so that they are 
absorbed by your body. These scams often include testimonials from "famous" medical 
experts you haven't heard of. Of course, these gimmicks don't work.

Effortless Income:
The newest version offers get-rich-quick schemes to make unlimited profits exchanging 
money on the world currency markets. There are lots of variants, but they all promise 
vast riches with no work. Beware of these scams.

Free Goods:
These offers promise expensive items such as computers... for free. They ask you to 
pay a fee to join, and then you have to bring in a certain number of other members. 
Many of these scams are just disguised pyramid schemes.

Investment Opportunities:
These scams promise outrageously high returns...and of course, there is "no risk." 
Many of these scams are illegal Ponzi schemes, in which early investors are paid with 
the money from later investors. This gives the early investors the illusion that the 
system works and they are then encouraged to invest more money (which they eventually 
lose). The sales pitches for these offers include claims of high-level financial 
connections, that the promoters are privy to inside information, or promises that 
they'll guarantee the investment. The promoters are long gone if you try to take 
advantage of their "guarantees."

Cable De-Scrambler Kits:
These scams offer kits or information on how to receive cable transmissions without 
paying any subscription fees. There are two problems with these offers: 1) the kits 
and information don't work; and 2) even if they did work, it is illegal to steal 
service from cable television companies. Further, many cable companies have 
aggressively been prosecuting cable service theft.

Guaranteed Loans or Credit, or Easy Terms Scams:
There are lots of variants of this scam: home equity loans that don't require any 
equity in your home, loans regardless of your credit history, offshore bank loans, 
credit cards regardless of your credit history, etc. Sometimes these offers are 
combined with pyramid schemes that offer to pay you for attracting other participants 
to the scheme. However, they are scams - the loans don't come through, you are turned 
down unless you meet stringent requirements, or the credit cards simply don't arrive.

Credit Repair Scams:
These scams promise to erase accurate negative information from your credit file so 
that you can now qualify for loans, mortgages, or credit cards. The promoters of these 
scams cannot deliver. Further, if you follow their advice and lie on a loan or credit 
application, misrepresent your Social Security number, or get an Employer 
Identification number from the Internal Revenue Service under false pretenses, you 
will be committing fraud and violating federal laws. Don't fall for this scam.

Vacation Prize Promotions:
Last, but not least, is a scam in which you receive electronic verification 
congratulating you because you've "won" a fabulous vacation, or you've been "specially 
selected" for this opportunity. The "deluxe cruise ship" may well be more like a 
tugboat, upgrades can be very expensive, and hotel accommodations are likely to be 
very shabby.

The punch line... which you've heard from us many times before... If it sounds too 
good to be true, it probably is. Further, don't buy anything via bulk e-mail (spam). 
Your chances of being scammed are astronomical.

http://www.scamwatch.com/