How to Avoid Marketing Scams
Jun 3rd, 2009 | By Dee | Category: Featured Articles, The Science of MarketingAny successful industry will attract scam artists. The internet and internet marketing is extremely successful which means it is rife with scams. As an internet marketer it pays to be able to not only recognize but also to avoid these scams. They can cost you valuable time and money not to mention the fact that they can harm your reputation as a business owner and affect your business at the core level.
One of the most common types of marketing scams involves inadvertently sharing your information with the wrong person and becoming the subject of a hacker’s attention or having your identity stolen. Before you send information to anyone make sure you check them out first.
Visit their website, Google them for warnings or reviews and check with the Better Business Bureau – www.bbb.org/ and the FBI – http://www.fbi.gov/...marketing_fraud.htm.
Multi Level Marketing or MLM has received a poor reputation for being a scam. While there are legitimate MLM organizations it pays to be extremely careful when it comes to getting involved in multi level marketing. Again, check for reviews online, check with government authorities and be thorough in your research before handing over a single cent of your hard earned money. Also know that it may be difficult to recruit other MLMers due to the reputation of the industry.
Affiliate marketing scams are on the rise. Perpetrators either take your information and use it against you by hacking into your website or bank accounts leaving you high and dry or they get you to market for you and never pay you your promised commission.
Avoid these marketing scams by doing your research on the company. Make sure they have a long standing reputation in their industry. This is important because you want to represent quality products or services but also because you want to make sure the company is stable and profitable and can afford to pay your commission.
Find out how long they’ve been in business and what their reputation is in the industry. Make sure email communication is professional and responsive and make sure there is an affiliate agreement in place in case there is a dispute.
Affiliates can also try to scam you by making it appear as if they’ve made a sale or click through when they really haven’t. This includes having their friends and family buy the product, cookie stuffing, or click through fraud. To avoid being a victim of this type of fraud make sure you or your affiliate manager has a thorough screening process for affiliates. A good tracking system or software is also helpful to make sure buys are legitimate.
Marketing Scam Warnings:
- They ask for your personal information like a social security number. This also means that any monetary transactions are performed through a verified and secure merchant account.
- Trust your instincts. If the offer feels too good to be true, it probably is. Double your money overnight? Yeah right!
- They’re a brand new company that no one has ever heard of and are promising you the moon.
- No customer service support or contact information or an inability to get a hold of someone in customer service.
- No privacy policy, terms, or affiliate agreements listed on their website.
Marketing scams can be difficult to avoid however if you are vigilant, aware, willing to do a little research about whom you do business with and you trust your instincts you will be well armed to avoid scams and scammers.
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