10 Tips to Avoiding Internet or Online Scams

If you or someone you know has been online for any length of time, it's almost a given that you would have come across an internet or online scam, or even a old con that's just been given a new lease of life on the internet.

Basically when something is a scam, they give you the exact opposite of what they promised you. So don't be conned! Always keep these questions at the back off your mind when you go on the internet.

• Does the offer promise you money that seems too good to be true? 
• Is the promised Rate of Return (ROI) too high for that industry? 
• Do it use manipulative emotional tactics (fear of loss, urgency, greed) to try and persuade you to make an impulse buy? 
• Do they have a physical mailing address (non PO Box) or contact number? 
• Do they have a variety of legitimate payment methods? 
• Does it ask you for money and tell you to in your personal detail to enter into draws for prizes and such? 

To lessen the risk of, and even avoid, being the unwitting victim of an online scammer, there are also several things you can do to investigate the claim.

First of all, do you know what you are doing, or are you just caught up with your emotions? Always use your hard cold logic and common sense before acting, especially when paying money is involved.

Do a whois on the domain name and find out when and to who it was registered. Domains which are recently purchased should set your scam alert warning bells ringing!

Ask for references or testimonials; if the company is legitimate, then they will definitely send you details and references from their satisfied clients. You should always ask since you have nothing to lose.

If you are dealing with large sums of money, always check with the state’s Attorney’s Office to see if the company has a received any sort of complaints.

Do a Google search on the product and company.
For example: if the product is "XYZ Cash Gifting", then search Google for "XYZ Cash Gifting Scams", "XYZ Cash Gifting Complaints" and "XYZ Cash Gifting Reviews". Always check other buyers' reports before taking further action! Other good sites are ripoffreport.com and scam.com

Make sure the review or complaint is legitimate. A lot of unethical advertisers and marketers use “unbiased" review tactics to "scam" honest visitors in order to make sales.

Check in with the National Fraud Information Center. You can reach them at 1-800-876-7060. They provide a lot of valuable resources about all forms of scams.

You should be wary of pyramid schemes. They still exist and a lot of people still fall for this. If you are asked to send money to ten people, who each send money to ten other people, and goes on, this is ILLEGAL.

If you encounter a site or ad that says you won a prize or money then think twice. Remember the old adage: there is no free lunch.

Be wary of good offers that you've received by email. Lots of people still fall prey to email scams. Don't ever click on any unfamiliar links in your email unless it is someone you can trust and communicate with regularly. If you can, check with them that the link they sent you was intended.

Is there a guarantee or refund policy in place? Do they have a complaints or support section for customers? If it is online, go through the reports throughly.

If you still think that it is just too much to resist, and that you have to make a purchase, then at least pay for it by credit card or Paypal. If you are not fully satisfied with the product after purchase, please make a quick call (and email) to your bank and do a “charge-back". Also, when entering your financial information on the payment processor, make sure it is a secure connection. The domain should have “https://” on instead of just “http”. Never give out your credit card details (especially by email).