Caveat emptor and other tales from the crypt

[djbaxter]

Scamworld: 'Get rich quick' schemes mutate into an online monster
By Joseph L. Flatley, The Verge
May 10, 2012

A network of pitchmen have used the internet and fear of a failing economy to play the ultimate long con

The term Internet Marketing in this context describes both a particular business model used to sell fraudulent products and services online, and the community or subculture that embraces it. It operates out in the open ? with poorly designed websites, tacky infomercials, and outrageous claims designed to scare off the wary and draw in the curious, desperate, and naive. The Internet Marketer positions himself as a marketing ?guru? with a product or coaching services guaranteed to generate income.

The path to internet riches begins with an introductory product, such as a book or DVD. This is often a loss leader: the real value for the Internet Marketer is that it allows him to capture your contact information. Once you?re in the system, your inbox will be flooded with offers for software, DVD sets, and coaching programs costing several hundreds or thousands of dollars.

This is what happened to Richard Joseph: after requesting free information online, some unscrupulous Internet Marketer sold his name to Raygoza?s company, PushTraffic, who ripped Joseph off.

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