You are here: Home / Archives for review

My At Home Profit System Review Of Red Flags

August 25, 2011 By 13 Comments

This My At Home Profit System review red flags covers important aspects of the sales page you may want to think about before buying this product my own advice is to avoid it as it seems very similar to a number of other sites that have generated numerous complaints.

Here are the red flags that I see:

Red Flag #1) Michelle Matthews Claims To Be The #1 Home Job Consultant In America

That’s nice. But there are thousands of questionable business opportunity sites claiming that very same thing – including quite a few shut down by the FTC.

In other words, this exact claims has been associated with a significant number of questionable business opportunities.

Red Flag #2) Meaningless use of News logos and other logos.

My At Home Profit System says, “As Seen On”  the following:

  • MSNBC
  • Fox News
  • abc
  • USAToday
  • CNN

Of course this is completely meaningless since “as seen on” can simply mean the company advertised on those websites is something anyone can do.

Red Flag #3) Non-Clickable Security Seals

MyAtHomeProfitSystem.com uses the following non-clickable security seals on their site:

  • McAfee Secure
  • Verisign
  • Hacker safe
  • GeoTrust

NonClickable security seals are meaningless since the entire reason to have them is so that a visitor can click through to an independent third-party site in order to confirm that the site hosting the order page for websites such as MyAtHomeProfitSystem is secure.

Red Flag #4) The “Free” Consultation

Be VERY careful when you see something like this on the My At Home Profit System sales page:

“You’ll get a free one-on-one phone consultation with a Search Engine Agent Advisor to discuss your individual goals and map out and ensure your quick path to financial success.”

Here’s the problem. More often than not, these “free” consultations are used to try to hard-sell you expensive products and services that either you don’t need or are potentially utterly useless.

Red Flag #5) Use Of Stock Photos For Testimonials

The disclaimer way at the bottom of the  sales page states, “† For the purpose of privacy, the pictures shown in testimonials have been adapted and results may vary.”

Here’s a bit of history behind those types of disclaimers and why they started popping up. What happened is that stock photos became extremely easy to find with new reverse image search technology. Therefore, to get around this problem, websites started using this type of disclaimer.

Here’s why it’s important to know that – now theonly way that law enforcement can determine if the testimonials are actually real or fake is to file a lawsuit against the company using the stock photos.

This doesn’t necessarily mean that all testimonials a website that makes use of stock photos are fake. But this type of disclaimer should definitely be considered a GIGANTIC RED FLAG.

Red Flag #6) Use Of The Same Stories For Different “People”

There’s a place on My At Home Profit System that states:

“After 8 years as a super-successful and outrageously highly paid person, Michelle Mathews is at the red hot center of the work at home industry, both online and offline.”

That same text is used over and over and over across many different sales pages – but each using a different male or female name in the story. Here are some examples I’ve seen:

  • “After 8 years as a super-successful and outrageously highly paid person, Mark Starr is at the red hot center of the work at home industr, both online and offline.”
  • “After 8 years as a super-successful and outrageously highly paid person, Michelle Miller is at the red hot center of the work at home industry, both online and offline.”
  • “After 8 years as a super-successful and outrageously highly paid person, Robert Brannon is at the red hot center of the work at home industry, both online and offline.”
  • “After 8 years as a super-successful and outrageously highly paid person, Patricia Goddard is at the red hot center of the work at home industry, both online and offline.”

Oh, and by the way, all of those “people” are supposed to be the “#1 Home Job Consultant In America”

If there’s enough interest I’ll tear the sales letter apart even more and reveal a ton of other red flags.

If You're Struggling To Make Money Online - Click Here And FINALLY Get Answers To All Of Your Questions About Making Money Online

Filed Under: Sales Page Reviews Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

The Online Profit System Review Of Red Flags

August 24, 2011 By 6 Comments

This is my Online Profit System review red flags which I see. My own suggestion is to Steer clear of the Online Profit system website because it appears extremely comparable to a number of other websites which I’ve come across which have produced a massive amount of complaints. Needless to say, it is possible somebody may come and submit a positive review of the online profit system program within the comments area here saying it’s the greatest thing since sliced bread – however I am not banking on it, and I don’t believe you ought to either.

Listed below are the elements of The Online Profit System that worry me:

Red Flag #1) Claims To Be Rated The #1 Work-At-Home Opportunity
Really? According to who? Mickey Mouse? Donald Duck? Kathy Armstrong? The Online Profit System doesn’t say “who” or what company rated it #1.

In fact this exact claims has been associated with a significant number of questionable business opportunities.

Red Flag #2) Meaningless use of News logos and other logos.

The Online Profit System states that it’s been “Advertised On” the following:

  • NBC
  • The Wall Street Journal
  • Fox
  • Newsweek
  • abc

Of course this is completely meaningless since advertising on those websites is something anyone can do.

Red Flag #3) Non-Clickable Security Seals

Home Wealth Solution uses the following non-clickable security seals on their site:

  • McAfee Secure
  • Verisign
  • Hacker safe
  • GeoTrust

NonClickable security seals are worthless as the whole point of them is to be able to click through to an independent third-party site to verify that the site hosting the order page for sites such The Online Profit System is secure.

Red Flag #4) The “Free” Consultation

Many individuals could possibly be delighted to discover the following on The Online Profit System web page:

“Free one-on-one consultation with a Quick Start Specialist”

Don’t get too excited. More often than not, these “free” consultations are used to try to hard-sell you expensive products and services that either you don’t need or at worst are completely worthless.

Red Flag #5) Use Of A Conditional Guarantee And Conditional Refund Policy

The problem with conditional guarantees and conditional refund policies is whether or not you actually “tried” the program is up to the company, since they give you no clear idea of how they’ll determine whether or not you “you follow the steps, implement them as directed” and show them that you “tried”.

I suggest you AVOID any program where the guarantees or refund policies are conditional.

Here is the conditional guarantee from the main page:

“After you sign up, take up to 3 full months to try out the program. If you follow the steps, implement them as directed, and show me you’ve tried this, and you don’t begin making the money you desire anytime during the next 90 days you can ask for a full, prompt refund by phone or by email, and I will refund your money, no questions asked.”

Notice that The Online Profit System apparently requires you to wait 90 days to see if you make money, which of course is the exact length of the refund period.

“It is important to us that you are 100% satisfied with the program. If you are not 100% satisfied with our online money making system then you should be entitled to a full refund of the money you spend on any of our products and services. However, it is important that you make an attempt to utilize all of the tools we have available. If you do not make a true attempt within 4 weeks of purchasing The Online Profit System, then our company takes no responsibility and we will not be held responsible for your lack of actions and a refund will not be granted. It is important that you read the information carefully and make sure that this type of business is something you can do before you decide to move forward and purchase our system.”

Again, what is a true attempt? And how does the “4 weeks” statement fit in with the previous requirement that you wait 90 days to see if you make money?

Red Flag #6) Use Of Stock Photos For Testimonials

The disclaimer way at the bottom of The Online Profit System sales page states, “† For the purpose of privacy, the pictures shown in testimonials have been adapted and results may vary.”

It’s important to understand why many sites started using this disclaimer. What happened is that stock photos became incredibly easy to find with new reverse image search technology. So as a way around this problem several websites began making use of the aforementioned disclaimer.

So what that means is that the only way that law enforcement can determine if the testimonials are actually real or fake is to file a lawsuit against the company using the stock photos.

This doesn’t necessarily mean that all testimonials a website that makes use of stock photos are fake. But it should definitely be considered a HUGE red flag when you see this sort of thing due to the fact that an ENORMOUS NUMBER of question websites are doing this sort of thing and have done it extensively in the past.

If You're Struggling To Make Money Online - Click Here And FINALLY Get Answers To All Of Your Questions About Making Money Online

Filed Under: Sales Page Reviews Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Paid To Place Review Of Red Flags

August 24, 2011 By 76 Comments
Kathy Garcia?

Kathy Garcia?

Note: All details of the Paid To Place sales page, terms and conditions, privacy policy, etc. as outlined in this post have preserved in multiple ways, including video recording.

7/6/2013 Update: Latest site being run by the same people is the Karen James Home Income Site.

6/10/2012 Update: I STRONGLY Recommend you avoid this program.

3/19/2012 Update: New Sales Pages/Sites Are Going Up For Paid To Place, Including The Following:

  • Verified Home Income | VerifiedHomeIncome.com
  • Apply For This | ApplyForThis.com
  • Cash 123 Stream | Cash123Stream.com

9/13/2011 Update: Paid To Place is cranking out different versions of sales pages like crazy.

I noticed today, 9/13/2011 that there is a new sales page for Paid To Place that focuses heavily on Michelle Boudreau’s background with CBS News, The Home Shopping Network, as well as her appearances on Fox News, abc, NBC, & CNN.

You might remember her from John Beck’s informercials. You can read some of her dialogue in the FTC Complaint Against Amazing Profits here where Michelle introduces John Beck with the following words:

FTC V John Beck

FTC V John Beck

The testimonials now clearly disclose that the photos are stock photos – and they do NOT claim specific amounts of money made as in the previous sales letter I reviewed did.

New Red Flag #1) There is no longer ANY disclaimer that the photo of Kathy Garcia is a stock photo.

New Red Flag #2) The sales letter claims “Easy work, great pay, NO selling.” But later the sales letter states: “Get your unique tracking code for online and offline placements” and also “as a “Paid to Place” affiliate you’ll get paid three-ways.”

Paid To Place even has a calculator it wants you to use to dream about how much money you’ll be raking in “just placing ads”. And the first field in that calculator is “New Sales From Ads Each Week”.

So they’re TELLING you that you will be doing affiliate marketing, there TELLING you that your earnings are based on selling, and they are TELLING you that you”ll be paid commissions on whatever you sell. Now there’s nothing wrong with affiliate marketing – selling products such as Green Smoke, Ashton Cigars, or Lasagna recipes.

So according to Paid To Place there’s no selling involved, but you get paid when you sell something? HUH???

New Red Flag #3) Paid To Place appears to leave out MUCH of what you have to do to actually generate income.

Paid To Place claims there are only 3 simple steps involved:

“Simple Step #1: Get your unique tracking code for online and offline placements.
Simple Step #2: Place the ads (we show you where and how)
Simple Step #3: Logon and see how much money you have made.”
Really?

How much do you want to bet that there are quite a few OTHER steps involved?

New Red Flag #4) The Security Seals on the Paid To Place order page are NOT clickable.

What follows is the original review of the Paid to Place sales page:

Kathy Garcia, who also leads a double life as a stock photo here, wants you to believe you can make $225 per hour for posting links online. Of course she leaves out a few details…OK…she leaves out way more than a few details.

Let’s take a look at some of the red flags of the Paid To Place “program”

Red Flag 1: Kathy Garcia is a stock photo. I guess the upside to that is that since she’s just a photograph she’s probably a good listener.

Red Flag 2: Paid To Place displays a table so that you can imagine all the money you can make by posting links. The problem is that the table isn’t based on reality…not even close. Why? Because the only way you get paid in a program like Paid To Place is if someone finds your link, clicks on your link, then takes an action such as buying product, filling out a form (such as filling out a detailed insurance quote form that will allow an insurance company to follow up with them).

In other words, just because you PLACE an ad containing a link, does NOT mean you’ll get paid from doing so. In fact, most of the time you probably WON’T.

Red Flag 3: Use of customer testimonials claiming they made specific amounts of money. Why is this a red flag? Because here’s what the FTC (Federal Trade Commission) has to say about these types of testimonials:

“The use of a disclaimer such as “results not typical” is no longer a safe harbor for the claims made in testimonials. Third, while you may use atypical or best-case testimonials, if you do, you should clearly and conspicuously disclose the generally expected results consumers can expect in the depicted circumstances.”

Red Flag #4) Claims of fast money

Paid To Place claims:

“You’ll Be Able To Sit Down At Your Computer And Start
Making Money Right Away.”

They also show a bunch of alleged customers who made money fast with the Paid To Pace program.

….both of which are quite strange, especially since Paid To Place also says,

“This isn’t for you if you’re trying to “get rich quick.” Fact is, these things don’t really exist and they are all scams. (Ask me how I know, I fell for a few of them myself.)”

OK. Maybe in their mind “get rich quick” and “make money fast” aren’t the same thing, and I suppose technically they aren’t, but both ideas are constantly used by questionable business opportunities to suck cash out of vulnerable people.

Red Flag #5) Two different Paid To Place students claim show the SAME pictures of separate vacations.

There are several versions of the Paid To Place sales page – one version shows pictures of Kathy Garcia’s vacation. Another sales page is supposed to show pictures of another student using the name “David Cox”‘s vacation. Both “Kathy Garcia” and “David Cox” are presenting the EXACT same pictures of their separate vacations.

Red Flag #6) Paid To Place runs a site called PaidToPlaceScam.com warning people about sites WARNING people about Paid To Place.

Paid To Place has set up a website called PaidToPlaceScam.com warning people about the sites WARNING people about Paid To Place. I don’t know about you, but that seems more than just a little odd. No product I’ve ever recommended has ever had to resort to doing that.

Update: A person named Mike who claims to be the affiliate manager for Paid To Place has offered to answer questions. I’ve asked him some questions in the comments section, which I’ll repeat here and add to as I think of more. You can check for his answers to these questions in the comments section here.

  1. As of 8/28/2011 are there still only 92 places left in the program? ;-)
  2. How did you document this part of your sales page, “What if I told you that the average you’ll make per link posted is $15″?
  3. How were the values of the Paid To Place, Quick-Start-Guide, 50K Self Funding, And 7 Ways To Make $100 A Day Online determined?
  4. I did notice that whoever did the salespage at the ptop.securewebsystem website left off some of the information from the regular PaidToPlace website, such as the disclaimer the regular PaidToPlace mentions stating that the image of Kathy is a stock photo. Are you surprised they left that off?
  5. I’m a little unclear about what results the consumer can generally expect by using the Paid To Place program. Can you tell me where to find that information?
  6. I’ve seen about 3 different versions of the sales page for Paid To Place now, so I’ll have to clarify which one I’m talking about here. There is one that shows 3 checks with Paid To Place as the payor where Kathy Garcia says, “…These are just a few of the affiliate checks I get in the mail every single month.” What types of products/services/leads are those checks for?
  7. Is Michelle Boudreau compensated in any way to endorse the Paid To Place Program.

Just out of curiosity, is the regular PaidToPlace site really a WordPress blog? I checked with BuiltWith.com and looked at the code and it didn’t look like one to me – especially the html for the comments section.

Is PaidToPlace site really a WordPress blog? I checked with BuiltWith.com and looked at the code and it didn’t look like one to me – especially the html for the comments section.

Builtwith.com will identify WordPress blogs as follows:

“WordPress
WordPress Usage Statistics – Websites using WordPress

WordPress is a state-of-the-art semantic personal publishing platform with a focus on aesthetics, web standards, and usability.”

But it didn’t identify PaidToPlace.com in that way.

American Money Report Promotion Of Paid To Place

Paid To Place is currently being promoted by an advertorial site (fake news site) called American Money Report. The site tells the story of Kathy Garcia and claims that, “Thanks to the Paid To Place program Kathy now enjoys more time with her daughter Stella”

If you scroll all the way down to the bottom of the page, you’ll find this disclaimer:

“*For purposes of privacy, the creator of The Paid to Place is using a pen name. This story is based upon the real life adaptation of the parties involved. The Company reserves the rights to the name and any uses of it as affiliated with the product. Any improper uses by unauthorized parties is strictly prohibited. Testimonials are from members who have purchased the optional support system”

The question is whether or not the FTC would consider that clear and conspicuous – that’s only something the FTC can decide, but I encourage you to take your best guess on that one. You can read through the FTC’s Advertising FAQ’s if you need help forming an opinion.

If You're Struggling To Make Money Online - Click Here And FINALLY Get Answers To All Of Your Questions About Making Money Online

Filed Under: Sales Page Reviews Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Next Page»