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Fictitious earnings claims and statements
To convince a skeptical mark, scammers will often resort to the use of false
or altered earnings statements, checks, and other documentation to help
back their exaggerated earnings claims. With the aid of a scanner and an
image editing program such as Photoshop or even MS Paint, any printed or
electronic statement can be altered with ease. $100 can become $10,000 by
simply adding some extra zeros for example.
But scammers have even more sophisticated methods to alter documents
and statements than photo editing programs. Scammers with HTML
knowledge can simply pull up an online earnings statement (ie Paypal
account or an online banking account) and view the HTML code. Then they
can alter the HTML by imputing the desired numbers. For example, $19.95
can be become $199.95. Then the altered code is republished on the
scammers server with any of the pertinent logos (ie Paypal logo, Bank of
America logo) uploaded as well. Finally the scammer will take a screenshot
of the modified page and republish the screenshot on their server. Then
what you get is a screenshot of an altered document that looks just as real
as the original.
Like shill testimonials, it is very difficult-if not impossible to determine if a
document is authentic or altered. Scammers take extra care to ensure that
their spoofs aren't uncovered. Common sense is your best weapon, which
will be explained in the article Warnings Signs.
Flaunting wealth
The scammer will openly flaunt his wealth by displaying pictures of fancy
automobiles, mansions, silk suits, and various pieces of jewelery that he
'bought' using his system. In reality those luxeries were purchased from the
proceeds of his victims-not the actual product he is advertising. Once again
this device is used to drive the viewer into an irrational 'get rich quick' frenzy.
This technique is similar to the 'hype type' discussed on the previous page.
Money back guarantee
Even after utilizing all of the above techniques, the mark may still be
skeptical. And thats when the final weapon in the scammers arsenal is
unleashed- the venerable 100% ironclad money back guarantee!! After all
even if all of this is just hype I can get my money back...right? Wrong!
To get your money back from a scammer is like pulling teeth. For online
products when you try to contact the scammer he will simply fail to answer
his email or the phone. Or he will devise an excuse for why your money back
guarantee is null and void. Your only option in this case is to try to reverse
the charge if you paid by credit card. If you paid by check or money order, your
odds of collecting a refund are nil. You only have the postal inspectors to go
to bat for you, and they are already overworked.
Fraudulent infomercials have a different tactic for giving victims the ol' refund
runaround. Lets say you buy Don' Instant Money Making Secrets and is it
backed by an 100% ironclad money back guarantee!! So you give it a try
and to your dismay it only consists of a thin pamphlet explaining how real
estate works and how to open a savings account. A complete waste of
$34.95. So you mail everything back within 30 days as instructed by the
infomercial. Either one of two things happen:
1. You forget about it and assume the refund was processed. When your
bank statement comes in the mail a few weeks later to your horror not only
you have been charged for $34.95 program (no refund), but you have also
been charged for a slew of other services you don't recall ordering.
2. You notice the refund wasn't processed and you contact the infomercial
company. They say that either they didn't get the program, you sent it in too
late, or it was damaged and hence non-refundable.
Either way, good luck getting you money back.
It may appear that scammers employ tactics that many salespeople use,
but honest sales people DON'T use shill testimonials, fictitious earnings
statements, or make exaggerated promises they can't keep. Honest
salespeople also honer their refund policies.
Next: The different types of scammers Page 1
