WARNING! New Ad Scam Alerts

A lot of classified ads promote quick and easyservices also provide chat rooms or chat forums.
weight-loss products and programs. They cannotService subscribers can enter the rooms or forums
deliver what they promise. Another hot area in thefor an online conversation by typing what they want
classifieds Ads are "business opportunities." Work atto say. These forums provide discussions on a
home schemes, such as making arts and crafts orvariety of subjects, including products and services.
stuffing envelopes, have been replaced by offers toSome companies have used these chat forums to
"use your home PC to make fast money in yourpromote their products without claiming their
spare time." Other ads encourage customers tointerests.Tip-offs to fraud:Read online ads and
invest in communications technologies, such asconversations with a healthy dose of skepticism. The
telephone 900" numbers and telephone services, withsame things that tip you off to some scams and
promises of low-risk and high returns and Thefrauds in print and on television also appear in
attraction of "900" number pay per call services iscyberspace.Here are some signs of questionable
that high profit can be made of 25% or more fromonline advertising:Hyped up claims of product
the fees of $3 to$5 per minute charged to callers byeffectiveness. Use of the word "hot"
the 900 service providers. The company's promisesto describe an investment opportunity can indicate a
on these investments are likely not to bescam.Claims of potential high earnings or profit.Claims
true.Disguised advertising:"Disguised advertising," mayof "Inside" information.Company makes promises of
be hard to recognize. Bulletin boards and chat forumscheap stocks making high returnsExotic investments
may include areas where comments about the qualitypromotions such as ostrich farming, gold
or performance of products or services may bemining, or wireless cable TV.When you make any
disguised ads.The Internet and online services providedecisions about products or investments, be careful.
bulletin boards where interested parties can exchangeCheck references and a variety of sources and
information in general topic areas. Individualsbefore you buy.For more Profitable Advertising
contributing to the bulletin board may have financialResults
ties to companies or businesses that sell thoseVisit: name is Lance Groom and I am formally from
products or services related to the bulletin boardthe Hit TV Show "Making Money", also past board
subject area. This may not be clear to the onlinemember for "Susan Powter" health fitness, and
user. What may seem to be an open discussion couldInfomercial guru. In 2001 I led one of the largest
be disguised sales pitches. Since the identities oradvertising campaigns in over 6,000 newspapers. This
affiliations of online bulletin board operators andcampaign resulted in over 25,000 sales all over the
participants may not be known, it could be hard toworld creating "Classified Millions".
detect disguised advertising.Some commercial online