Zango Cash has apparently been around for some time on the web now. It’s a company that offers publishers/site owners a chance to make money online by signing up for one of their programmes. The general premise is that users install their software on your computer (to access free content [?!]) — and you encourage other users to install their software. For every installation (from ‘qualified countries’), you make money.

Alarm bells already started ringing in my head when I read about software installation. I just don’t like the idea of installing just any software in my computer. But, when I read about a couple of users making good money from it (approximately $100-300/day), I decided to investigate a bit closer.

Well, I continued to read mix reviews about it. Some were positive. Some were really negative. Then, I came across this analysis from McAfee SiteAdvisor, saying that it has “21 red flags” from the Zango Cash software downloads. Saying that is possibly adware/spyware.

After that, well, I decided that it’s probably not worth my while to explore further. At least, not for now. So, I’m not looking in to trying Zango Cash in the near future.

What about you? Have you tried Zango Cash before? If not, are you willing to give it a go? What are your thoughts on this matter?

This post is originally from Just Make Money Online. Please respect copyright.

Zango Cash: Yay or Nay?

I don’t know how many evil spirits possessed this person who took the time to hack my blog and include un-related content into my blog’s layout. This unwanted content made my blog get indexed for keywords that are not at all what my blog is all about!

One more problem that this hacking brought is that my blog is now getting AdSense ads that are for the bad content that the hacker placed on my blog. Although I’m not earning a 6-figure income from this blog, the AdSense earnings I used to get was a big help in putting food on the table. Now I’m only earning peanuts.

I was able to get rid of the code that the hacker embedded on my blog’s layout. However, Google’s still thinking that my site’s optimized for the wrong keywords. Although I’m thinking that performing more aggressive SEO techniques might help recover my blog’s search engine standing, unfortunately, I currently don’t have the time and tools to make this work.

Have you ever experienced such situation? How did you handle it? Help please.

image credits to sxc.hu

This post is originally from Just Make Money Online. Please respect copyright.

Help! My Blog Got Hacked

I love eBay. After over 5 years of using it both as a buyer and a seller, I’ve hardly ever had bad experiences. The extent of my bad experiences before was just one non-paying bidder (who left a negative!) and buyers/sellers who withhold positive feedback.

But, lately, my bad experiences seem to be increasing. So, I decided that I’ll start taking more notes here. As a reminder to me of bad selling and buying experiences, as well as to serve as case studies/learning experiences. And also, as a warning to other folks.

Bad Buying Experiences:

• mycameras2006 – Bought a camera remote from this seller. I paid as soon as the transaction closed. The item took a long time to get shipped. I had to file a Paypal/eBay dispute to get the seller to take action. After a few weeks, the item finally arrived. I left a neutral feedback due to shipping slowness and the seller’s poor communication. The seller retaliated with a neutral feedback and accused me of being personally abusive. Seller also receives negative and neutral feedback regularly plus receives similar complaints of being slow in shipping. So, I know it’s not just me.

  LESSON/TIP: Make sure to check not just the seller’s feedback. Also check seller’s habits of leaving feedback. What kind of things do they say to other folks? It says something about the seller.

• jupiter-fam – Also known as Virginia’s Collectibles. I bought a bunch of craft-related items from this person that never arrived. I was told that it was shipped. And, I was even promised that a second batch was sent. No tracking numbers were ever sent both times. Resorted to Paypal/eBay dispute. Paypal/eBay ended up refunding me for my payment (thank goodness!). When I left negative, the seller continued to lie in her replies to my feedback. This one’s a Power Seller who receives negative feedback on a regular basis. Yet, her average is still at 99%. Similar complaints. Shows that the ‘Power Sellers’ symbol doesn’t always protect you.

  LESSON/TIP: Make sure you check seller’s feedback before buying. Don’t rely on the Power Sellers symbol or the overall feedback score.

What about you? What have been your bad experiences with eBay? Any sellers you’ll never buy from – and why? And, if you were to have an eBay wish list to protect you from such bad experiences, what will be included in your list?

This post is originally from Just Make Money Online. Please respect copyright.

Bad eBay Experiences

Shopping without paying for your purchased goods and doing this legally is one dream come true for many. And this is one of the perks that mystery shopping provides. But what if you’re told that you’ll be doing mystery shopping but you’re parted from your hard-earned money instead of getting some freebies that the job promised? Two words – You’re Scammed! (Or are those three?)

I have always been interested in any information related to mystery shopping since I myself almost bagged a job as a mystery shopper a few years ago. Yes, I’m a frustrated mystery shopper.

So when I’ve learned about this old scam now also victimizing those who only want to earn some extra income through mystery shopping, I just have to blog about it.

Remember those money transfer or check cashing scams? Mystery shopper applicants are not safe from these scams as well. The modus operandi is they’d ask you to evaluate a money transfer service. And after a few days, long after the scammers got the money, the bank will hold you responsible for repaying it. Ouch!

The lesson here is clear. If a mystery shopper or customer service company says it wants you to cash a check and wire off money for any reason, stop and run from the deal.

Also, avoid any company that advertises for mystery shoppers and wants you to give them money. Legitimate companies don’t work this way. You don’t have to pay anyone to become a mystery shopper. Source

Again, you should think it over a lot of times before saying yes to any company that requires you to pay them first before you start working with them.

If you’re looking for legitimate mystery shopping opportunities, Mystery Shopping Providers Association is a better option than responding to just about any online ads that you come across or from emails.

A lot of us who are often online knows about these scams but those who are not into the Internet are not that well-informed. So, kindly tell this to your family or friends who are looking for mystery shopping jobs.

image from sxc.hu

This post is originally from Just Make Money Online. Please respect copyright.

Mystery Shopping Scams

It’s been circulating around the blogosphere that the paid-to-surf program AGLOCO failed to maintain its operations. I signed up for AGLOCO but never tried to promote it or if my memory failed me, I never did any agressive advertising to get people to sign up under me. This is because aside from being a lazy affiliate marketer, I became disinterested because of one similar make money online program that’s turned out to be a scam.

AGLOCO sounds like a case of miscalculated risks – one business mistake that many entrepreneurs should always be prepared for.

According to the email that the AGLOCO team sent out to its members, they can no longer fund their business operations. How in the world were they not able to monetize those millions of members? Surely, lots of ad networks would be more than willing to help them. But still since I’m not a part of the AGLOCO team, I won’t be jumping into conclusions on what really went wrong. But any speculations?

This post is originally from Just Make Money Online. Please respect copyright.

What was the Business Mistake of AGLOCO?

While reading this amusing story of someone lured by free lunch to hear a seminar about an Internet marketing business, I was reminded of how much work needs to be done just to make people bite into turnkey online businesses.

For the uninitiated, turnkey online businesses are those ventures that virtually includes everything that the entrepreneur needs to start the business, thus, it only requires turning the key to get started.

In short, the businessperson just needs to activate the business to start earning.

Sounds easy, eh? But it’s important to know that these types of businesses, like any endeavor, have downsides. MarketingTips has the scoop about these cons:

• The “wonderful” products they have on offer usually have to be bought ONLY from them.

• You pay inflated prices for their products. You spend YOUR money advertising and selling their products, which they are buying from REAL wholesalers, marking up, and then selling to you.

• These companies usually also charge you a one-time and/or monthly fee — making them even more money at your expense!

Now if that bursted your bubble, take note that not all turnkey businesses are too good to be true. You can definitely profit from one if you know how to distinguish a legitimate opportunity from a scam.

One of my current projects involves the promotion of a turnkey online business, which is offering a popular business package that’s not so hard to market offline. But online, marketing it would be like walking on thin ice. Intriguing I know, but I can’t name the business.

But since the marketing department knows that it does not need to focus on Internet marketing to get people to avail of the opportunity, it utilized offline methods such as seminars, hosting parties, and print ads. And boy were they successful!

What about you? Do you know of any other turnkey online business marketing method? Or ever purchased one straight from a seminar?

image source

This post is originally from Just Make Money Online. Please respect copyright.

Marketing Turnkey Online Businesses Does Not Need to Be Done Online

Have you ever encountered online “get rich quick schemes” or scams on the web? Have you been victimised by an online scammer?

There are so many going around on these things. You hear about them in the news… the “letters from Nigeria” scam is one of notorious ones.

Can you share anything else?

UPDATE: Just after I posted this, I received a tip from About.com about this interesting article from Alison Doyle – Work at Home Scams: Avoiding Employment and Work at Home Scams

This post is originally from Just Make Money Online. Please respect copyright.

Open Mic: Get Rich Quick Schemes and Scams Online

If there’s a blogosphere, there should also be a term like blogomaniac, which refers to me – Alfa Mercado, the temp blogger for this great Internet income blog. I’m a certified blogomaniac (I maintain no less than 7 blogs, JMMO’s the 8th) from the Philippines. No, this is not an April Fool’s Day prank, I really am the temp blogger for Just Make Money Online, whether you like it or not.

Now I’d like to take this opportunity to thank Shai, who maybe have just given birth to baby 2, for trusting me to take over this blog even just for a little bit of time and Doug for facilitating the process.

So, without further adieu, here’s my first post for all of us who are looking for ways to make money online:

If you like get paid to refer, get paid to search or other services that can earn you commissions just by referring friends or using a certain search engine, you might want to try *Fummo.

It’s one of the newest referral program and one that maybe pays one of the highest payout per referral – $5 per referral.

According to their site, the goal of the operators of Fummo is to have at least 400,000 registered members before May 20, 2007. However, when I looked for some other information from those who have signed up, I found a forum with members talking about the untrustworthiness of this program:

i dont trust this program because no one can afford such rates for one referral. i think that it will not pay its members but if it does then please let us know.

But another member’s rebuttal is that Fummo’s like Agloco, which is also another get paid to refer service.

One more scam-ish statement is…

until 20may  invite your friends to FUMMO like aglooco.This site is still beta.So referring people and 20may get money for referrals and start earning.

you can see your earnings in the account on 20may and can cashout

Although I’m not sure on whether this service will pay or not, what is there to lose if you sign up, right?

I’d really appreciate it if you share your thoughts. To Fummo or NOT to Fummo?

*referral link

This post is originally from Just Make Money Online. Please respect copyright.

To Fummo or NOT To Fummo?

While it’s good to know about online money making programs (internet business opportunities) that work, it’s also important to take note of things that do not. With this in mind, I intend to share things that I learn about possible scams and problems when it comes to earning money online. The first one I wish to share is from Regina Avalos, who writes at Blogcritics.org about an online money making program called Surf Junky as follows:

The site gave me more headaches than it was worth. Their customer service is next to nil, and once again it shows you that you won’t get rich with those pay to surf programs. I wasn’t looking to get rich. If anything I probably figured I’d get forty to fifty dollars a month, and I’d refer a few friends and that might get me just a little bit more. Maybe enough to cover my Internet costs, and a DVD or two every month. Programs like this rarely works, and if they do they won’t be around for very long.

This post is originally from Just Make Money Online. Please respect copyright.

Warnings and Scams: Surf Junky