How to identify scams and other schemes

The following is a tip from Google:

In general, if it looks too good to be true, it probably is. Here are some pointers on what to look out for:

Before you fill out a form or give someone a credit card, do a web search to see what other people are saying about the company and its practices.

Be wary of companies that ask for upfront charges for services that Google actually offers for free. Check out our business solutions page before writing a check.

Always read the fine print. Watch out for get-rich-quick schemes that charge a very low initial fee before sneaking in large reoccurring charges on your credit card or bank account.

Google never guarantees top placement in search results or AdWords — beware of companies that claim to guarantee rankings, allege a special relationship with Google, or advertise a “priority submit” to Google. There is no priority submit for Google. In fact, the only way to submit a site to Google directly is through our Add URL page or through the Sitemaps program — you can do these tasks yourself at no cost whatsoever.

Be wary of anything resembling a pyramid scheme, where you make commissions by recruiting more participants.

Some sales pitches use the word “Google” or other trademarks right in their name with targeted phrases like “cash,” “pay day,” “money,” “secrets,” “home business,” etc. If you can’t find it on our list of Google products or on the business solutions page, don’t trust it.

Look for third party verification. Scammers can easily cut-and-paste images to plaster a site with “as seen on TV,” “five-star reviews” and the logos of well-known news channels. Products that have really been recommended by experts and fellow users typically contain links from legitimate news sites and multiple user review sites.

Reserve the same skepticism for unsolicited email about making money with Google AdWords as you do for “burn fat at night” diet pills or requests to help transfer funds from deposed dictators. In general, be wary of offers from firms that email you out of the blue. Amazingly, we get these spam emails too:

http://scarletnews.com/2016/05/16/best-tips-for-identifying-online-make-money-scams/