The government organization responsible for overseeing trading in commodities has issued a warning about a precious metals scam that's hooking scores of gullible investors.
Recent surges in the price of gold have attracted inexperienced speculators into the metals and currency markets, in their quest for high returns and quick profits.
Most sane investors know that the promise of fast, juicy profits is either laden with high risks or, even worse, a scam.
Click Here to read the full article.
©Copyright Audri and Jim Lanford. All rights reserved.
Reprinted with permission.
Subscribe free to Internet Scambusters at
http://www.scambusters.org
Saturday, February 26, 2011
Thursday, February 17, 2011
The Outrageous Ways Your Phone Company May Be Stealing from You
Alternet / by David Rosen and Bruce Kushnick
A growing number of scams are being perpetrated on telephone and Internet customers. Think you can easily identify bogus charges on your bill? Good luck.
Cramming, slamming and ramming are three of a growing number of scams being perpetrated on unaware telephone, wireless and Internet customers.
In simplest terms, the major scams are defined as follows:
* Cramming is the illegal practice of placing unauthorized charges on your local, long-distance or wireless telephone bill, usually by a third party not known to the customer.
* Slamming is the illegal practice of switching a telephone customer’s long-distance service provider to another carrier without the customer’s permission.
These scams have been around for years but continue to be replayed on unwitting telephone customers. However, the newest scam, ramming, adds a new dimension to the game.
Click Here to read the full article.
Alternet / by David Rosen and Bruce Kushnick
A growing number of scams are being perpetrated on telephone and Internet customers. Think you can easily identify bogus charges on your bill? Good luck.
Cramming, slamming and ramming are three of a growing number of scams being perpetrated on unaware telephone, wireless and Internet customers.
In simplest terms, the major scams are defined as follows:
* Cramming is the illegal practice of placing unauthorized charges on your local, long-distance or wireless telephone bill, usually by a third party not known to the customer.
* Slamming is the illegal practice of switching a telephone customer’s long-distance service provider to another carrier without the customer’s permission.
These scams have been around for years but continue to be replayed on unwitting telephone customers. However, the newest scam, ramming, adds a new dimension to the game.
Click Here to read the full article.
Alternet / by David Rosen and Bruce Kushnick
Doors Open Ever Wider to Cyberstalking
From control freaks who want to drive you nuts, through weirdos obsessed with you, to thieves waiting to burglarize your home, cyberstalking fiends surround us.
And their main allies? You.
Yes, that's right; the information you give away about yourself and your location is exactly what they need to watch you or for online harassment.
Click Here to read the full article.
©Copyright Audri and Jim Lanford. All rights reserved.
Reprinted with permission.
Subscribe free to Internet Scambusters at
http://www.scambusters.org
And their main allies? You.
Yes, that's right; the information you give away about yourself and your location is exactly what they need to watch you or for online harassment.
Click Here to read the full article.
©Copyright Audri and Jim Lanford. All rights reserved.
Reprinted with permission.
Subscribe free to Internet Scambusters at
http://www.scambusters.org
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
NETWORKING: MORE THAN JUST CHATTER C.J. Hayden, MCC
"I spend a lot of time networking, but I don't see many results from it." I hear this complaint frequently from independent professionals who are hoping that their networking activities will produce clients. It used to be that my clients and students would complain about unproductive networking in the form of attending mixers or scheduling coffee meetings. But now I often hear them voice the same dissatisfaction with social networking online.
At the same time, many experienced, successful professionals claim that networking is one of the primary ways they continually build their business. When you see successful people continue to network -- online and off -- you have to figure that they must get some value from it, or why keep doing it?
If I had to name one factor that I think makes the most difference between productive and unproductive networking, it would be the "chatter quotient." People who are good at networking and produce results from it don't just "chat" with their contacts. They have meaningful, relevant, focused exchanges. But people who network without much to show for it seem to spend a lot more time just chatting -- in person, by phone, and online.
Chatting has its place in social interaction. Small talk about the weather, the traffic, or the local team's last game can be a safe way to begin a conversation. Asking about your contacts' family, hobby, or last vacation lets them know you remember them and shows your interest. But conversations that consist of nothing but this type of chat are unlikely to produce many clients.
Networking online follows the same pattern. If your social networking posts are limited to what movie you last saw, the new car you're considering, and how you spent your Sunday afternoon, clients are not likely to result. Occasional posts about your personal life, just like small talk, have their place in letting people get to know you. But you've got to get beyond chatting to get business.
Productive networking consists of meaningful, relevant, focused conversations and online exchanges. Here are a few examples of what this sounds like.
Questions to ask others:
* Tell me about your work/current goals/challenges you're facing.
* Who/what would be a good client/helpful resource for you?
* What is exciting you in your business/career/life right now?
* What can I do to help you?
Topics to discuss about your own work:
* This is how I help my clients.
* Here's an example of someone I was able to assist.
* This is who would be a good client for me.
* Here's how you will know when someone needs my help.
Topics to post about online:
* Here's a useful resource for you.
* This is something I'm doing you might find valuable.
* Here's a success one of my clients had.
* I need some assistance -- can anyone help?
What topics like these allow you to do is demonstrate your expertise, showcase yourself as a competent professional, and let people know what you need so they can help. By asking others about their work and needs, you learn where you might fit in, and how to build an element of reciprocity with your networking contacts.
Before beginning any networking activity or conversation, pause for a moment and ask yourself what you are trying to accomplish. Would you like to meet potential clients at that mixer? If so, what do you need to ask to know if someone might be a client? Do you want to get referrals as a result of that coffee date? Then what does that person need to learn about you in order to refer appropriately?
When you're networking online, what is the image you're trying to project? If you want people to perceive you as competent, or savvy, or reliable, what could you post about that would reinforce those perceptions? What topics might allow potential clients or referral sources to learn more about how your work can benefit them or someone they know?
If you're ready to make use of networking as the powerful tool it can be to meaningfully connect with others and build your business, it's time to get beyond the chatter.
Copyright © 2009, C.J. Hayden
Read more free articles by C.J. Hayden or subscribe to the GET CLIENTS NOW! E-Letter.
At the same time, many experienced, successful professionals claim that networking is one of the primary ways they continually build their business. When you see successful people continue to network -- online and off -- you have to figure that they must get some value from it, or why keep doing it?
If I had to name one factor that I think makes the most difference between productive and unproductive networking, it would be the "chatter quotient." People who are good at networking and produce results from it don't just "chat" with their contacts. They have meaningful, relevant, focused exchanges. But people who network without much to show for it seem to spend a lot more time just chatting -- in person, by phone, and online.
Chatting has its place in social interaction. Small talk about the weather, the traffic, or the local team's last game can be a safe way to begin a conversation. Asking about your contacts' family, hobby, or last vacation lets them know you remember them and shows your interest. But conversations that consist of nothing but this type of chat are unlikely to produce many clients.
Networking online follows the same pattern. If your social networking posts are limited to what movie you last saw, the new car you're considering, and how you spent your Sunday afternoon, clients are not likely to result. Occasional posts about your personal life, just like small talk, have their place in letting people get to know you. But you've got to get beyond chatting to get business.
Productive networking consists of meaningful, relevant, focused conversations and online exchanges. Here are a few examples of what this sounds like.
Questions to ask others:
* Tell me about your work/current goals/challenges you're facing.
* Who/what would be a good client/helpful resource for you?
* What is exciting you in your business/career/life right now?
* What can I do to help you?
Topics to discuss about your own work:
* This is how I help my clients.
* Here's an example of someone I was able to assist.
* This is who would be a good client for me.
* Here's how you will know when someone needs my help.
Topics to post about online:
* Here's a useful resource for you.
* This is something I'm doing you might find valuable.
* Here's a success one of my clients had.
* I need some assistance -- can anyone help?
What topics like these allow you to do is demonstrate your expertise, showcase yourself as a competent professional, and let people know what you need so they can help. By asking others about their work and needs, you learn where you might fit in, and how to build an element of reciprocity with your networking contacts.
Before beginning any networking activity or conversation, pause for a moment and ask yourself what you are trying to accomplish. Would you like to meet potential clients at that mixer? If so, what do you need to ask to know if someone might be a client? Do you want to get referrals as a result of that coffee date? Then what does that person need to learn about you in order to refer appropriately?
When you're networking online, what is the image you're trying to project? If you want people to perceive you as competent, or savvy, or reliable, what could you post about that would reinforce those perceptions? What topics might allow potential clients or referral sources to learn more about how your work can benefit them or someone they know?
If you're ready to make use of networking as the powerful tool it can be to meaningfully connect with others and build your business, it's time to get beyond the chatter.
Copyright © 2009, C.J. Hayden
Read more free articles by C.J. Hayden or subscribe to the GET CLIENTS NOW! E-Letter.
Saturday, February 5, 2011
Flipping Real Estate Becomes a Flopping Scam
A new and unsavory side to the nation's real estate crisis has emerged during the past few months in the shape of "flopping" -- the opposite of flipping real estate, which we saw back in the boom days.
It's a scam. And, though it may not always involve breaking the law, real estate flopping could be costing struggling homeowners many thousands of dollars each year and further damaging their credit records.
Click here to read the full article.
©Copyright Audri and Jim Lanford. All rights reserved.
Reprinted with permission.
Subscribe free to Internet Scambusters at
http://www.scambusters.org
It's a scam. And, though it may not always involve breaking the law, real estate flopping could be costing struggling homeowners many thousands of dollars each year and further damaging their credit records.
Click here to read the full article.
©Copyright Audri and Jim Lanford. All rights reserved.
Reprinted with permission.
Subscribe free to Internet Scambusters at
http://www.scambusters.org
Sunday, January 30, 2011
FIVE MYTHS OF INTERNET MARKETING FOR INDEPENDENT PROFESSIONALS C.J. Hayden, MCC
There's more marketing hype published on the Internet in one day than P.T. Barnum generated in his lifetime. Like a worm swallowing its tail, the Internet marketing beast feeds mostly on itself. The vast majority of what appears on the Internet about marketing is designed to help you market products and services sold and delivered exclusively on the Internet.
So what does that mean for the independent professional whose web presence is primarily aimed at selling his or her own services? You know, services delivered the old-fashioned way, by humans interacting face-to-face or at least voice-to-voice. At best, the average professional is likely to be overwhelmed by the sheer volume of Internet marketing advice available. At worst, he or she is being seriously misled by it.
The problem is that marketing your own professional services is simply not the same as marketing a retail product or an anonymous business service. You can't sell management consulting like you do web hosting; nor can you sell executive coaching the same way you do an ebook. If you try to market yourself by following advice designed for marketing Internet products and services, you're likely to make some serious mistakes.
Here are five Internet marketing myths that may be hazardous to the health of your business.
Myth #1 - It all starts with a great website.
Actually, the place where it starts is with a well-defined service. If you don't have a crystal clear picture of who you are marketing to and exactly what you're selling them, the best website in the world won't get you clients. Before you even think about building a website, you should know who your target market is, how to describe your professional specialty, and what specific benefits your work provides for your clients.
The content of your site is much more important than the design. Yes, you should have a professional-looking site, but a brilliant design and dazzling graphics won't pay off anywhere near as well as a clear explanation of why a client should work with you. Useful material such as articles, assessments, and other samples of your expertise will go much further to persuade prospective clients than flash intros and interactive menus.
Myth #2 - More traffic translates to increased profits.
The only result that more traffic to your website guarantees you is increased bandwidth use on your web hosting account. Before spending money on banner ads, web directories, or pay-per-click listings to drive more visitors to your site, you need to be sure that they'll want to do business with you once they get there.
Ask your colleagues and current clients to critique your site. Do they understand what you offer? Can they see concrete benefits to your target audience? Revise your site based on their feedback. Then personally invite some prospective clients to visit and touch base afterward. Do your prospects seem more inclined to do business with you after seeing your site? If so, you're on the right track. If not, you still have work to do.
Myth #3 - Do whatever it takes to build your list.
There's no question that a substantial opt-in mailing list is a valuable marketing asset, but the quality of names on your list is much more important than the quantity. Acquiring names through giveaways of other people's material, trading lists with joint venture partners, or purchasing them from a vendor rarely provides qualified buyers truly interested in your services.
Absolutely, ask your site visitors and people you meet to join your mailing list and offer them something of value in return. A well-written ezine, helpful report, or informative audio are all effective premiums. But, your premium should be directly related to the services you provide and also serve to increase your professional credibility. Names acquired from promotional gimmicks or unknown sources seldom turn into paying clients.
Myth #4 - Killer copy is the secret to sales.
Hype-laden web copy may be effective in selling info-products or home-study courses, but it hardly inspires trust. You're not going to convince anyone to hire you as a consultant, coach, trainer, designer, or financial advisor by offering "not one, not two, but three valuable bonuses" as if you were selling steak knives on late-night TV.
Your Internet marketing persona should reflect the same professionalism as the work you do with your clients. If writing marketing materials isn't your forte, by all means hire a professional copywriter. But be sure you hire one with experience writing for professionals like yourself. The copy on your website should inspire feelings of confidence about your abilities, and communicate your reliability and solid qualifications.
Myth #5 - Just follow the winning formula and you will get rich.
There's only one surefire recipe for Internet wealth I know of, and that's the business of selling surefire recipes. There seems to be an infinite number of buyers for every new get-rich-online scheme that is invented, but paradoxically, a precious few people successfully making money on the web.
The Internet may be a different medium for marketing professional services than traditional approaches like making calls, writing letters, or meeting people in person, but the same time-honored principles still apply. There is no winning formula for overnight success. The secret to landing clients remains what it always has been -- build relationships and get people to know, like, and trust you.
If your website, ezine, social networking, and other Internet-based activities contribute to building long-term, trusting relationships with prospective clients and referral sources, you'll get business on the web. But if you blast your message out to anyone who will listen, aiming for a quick profit, the Internet won't bring you any more business than standing on a street corner with a megaphone.
Copyright © 2009, C.J. Hayden
Read more free articles by C.J. Hayden or subscribe to the GET CLIENTS NOW! E-Letter.
So what does that mean for the independent professional whose web presence is primarily aimed at selling his or her own services? You know, services delivered the old-fashioned way, by humans interacting face-to-face or at least voice-to-voice. At best, the average professional is likely to be overwhelmed by the sheer volume of Internet marketing advice available. At worst, he or she is being seriously misled by it.
The problem is that marketing your own professional services is simply not the same as marketing a retail product or an anonymous business service. You can't sell management consulting like you do web hosting; nor can you sell executive coaching the same way you do an ebook. If you try to market yourself by following advice designed for marketing Internet products and services, you're likely to make some serious mistakes.
Here are five Internet marketing myths that may be hazardous to the health of your business.
Myth #1 - It all starts with a great website.
Actually, the place where it starts is with a well-defined service. If you don't have a crystal clear picture of who you are marketing to and exactly what you're selling them, the best website in the world won't get you clients. Before you even think about building a website, you should know who your target market is, how to describe your professional specialty, and what specific benefits your work provides for your clients.
The content of your site is much more important than the design. Yes, you should have a professional-looking site, but a brilliant design and dazzling graphics won't pay off anywhere near as well as a clear explanation of why a client should work with you. Useful material such as articles, assessments, and other samples of your expertise will go much further to persuade prospective clients than flash intros and interactive menus.
Myth #2 - More traffic translates to increased profits.
The only result that more traffic to your website guarantees you is increased bandwidth use on your web hosting account. Before spending money on banner ads, web directories, or pay-per-click listings to drive more visitors to your site, you need to be sure that they'll want to do business with you once they get there.
Ask your colleagues and current clients to critique your site. Do they understand what you offer? Can they see concrete benefits to your target audience? Revise your site based on their feedback. Then personally invite some prospective clients to visit and touch base afterward. Do your prospects seem more inclined to do business with you after seeing your site? If so, you're on the right track. If not, you still have work to do.
Myth #3 - Do whatever it takes to build your list.
There's no question that a substantial opt-in mailing list is a valuable marketing asset, but the quality of names on your list is much more important than the quantity. Acquiring names through giveaways of other people's material, trading lists with joint venture partners, or purchasing them from a vendor rarely provides qualified buyers truly interested in your services.
Absolutely, ask your site visitors and people you meet to join your mailing list and offer them something of value in return. A well-written ezine, helpful report, or informative audio are all effective premiums. But, your premium should be directly related to the services you provide and also serve to increase your professional credibility. Names acquired from promotional gimmicks or unknown sources seldom turn into paying clients.
Myth #4 - Killer copy is the secret to sales.
Hype-laden web copy may be effective in selling info-products or home-study courses, but it hardly inspires trust. You're not going to convince anyone to hire you as a consultant, coach, trainer, designer, or financial advisor by offering "not one, not two, but three valuable bonuses" as if you were selling steak knives on late-night TV.
Your Internet marketing persona should reflect the same professionalism as the work you do with your clients. If writing marketing materials isn't your forte, by all means hire a professional copywriter. But be sure you hire one with experience writing for professionals like yourself. The copy on your website should inspire feelings of confidence about your abilities, and communicate your reliability and solid qualifications.
Myth #5 - Just follow the winning formula and you will get rich.
There's only one surefire recipe for Internet wealth I know of, and that's the business of selling surefire recipes. There seems to be an infinite number of buyers for every new get-rich-online scheme that is invented, but paradoxically, a precious few people successfully making money on the web.
The Internet may be a different medium for marketing professional services than traditional approaches like making calls, writing letters, or meeting people in person, but the same time-honored principles still apply. There is no winning formula for overnight success. The secret to landing clients remains what it always has been -- build relationships and get people to know, like, and trust you.
If your website, ezine, social networking, and other Internet-based activities contribute to building long-term, trusting relationships with prospective clients and referral sources, you'll get business on the web. But if you blast your message out to anyone who will listen, aiming for a quick profit, the Internet won't bring you any more business than standing on a street corner with a megaphone.
Copyright © 2009, C.J. Hayden
Read more free articles by C.J. Hayden or subscribe to the GET CLIENTS NOW! E-Letter.
Webcam Safety Threatened by Crooks and Spies
If you use a camera connected to your computer, your webcam safety could be compromised by hackers and "peeping Tom" spies.
Even legally installed webcams that monitor activity in locations like vacation resorts and workplaces are vulnerable to misuse.
Just as a hacker can gain control of your PC, so they can also take over your webcam, switching it on and off, taking photos and watching everything you do.
Mostly they breach your webcam safety to seize control via a Remote Access Trojan-type virus (fittingly abbreviated to RATs!) that you unknowingly download to your computer or that they manage to install when you leave it unattended.
Click Here to read the full article.
©Copyright Audri and Jim Lanford. All rights reserved.
Reprinted with permission.
Subscribe free to Internet Scambusters at
http://www.scambusters.org
Even legally installed webcams that monitor activity in locations like vacation resorts and workplaces are vulnerable to misuse.
Just as a hacker can gain control of your PC, so they can also take over your webcam, switching it on and off, taking photos and watching everything you do.
Mostly they breach your webcam safety to seize control via a Remote Access Trojan-type virus (fittingly abbreviated to RATs!) that you unknowingly download to your computer or that they manage to install when you leave it unattended.
Click Here to read the full article.
©Copyright Audri and Jim Lanford. All rights reserved.
Reprinted with permission.
Subscribe free to Internet Scambusters at
http://www.scambusters.org
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