Consumer Alerts

It’s starting to seem like a broken record, but the BBB has put out ANOTHER warning about job opportunity postings abusing Google’s name:

From the BBB:

“Beware of Unauthorized Job Opportunity Postings Abusing the GOOGLE Name to Seem Legitimate

The Better Business Bureau says it has received more than 1,500 complaints about several dozen Web sites that are trading on the Google name to scam people who want to learn about making money from home. Because the sites often use the Google name and prominently display its logo, people often assume they are getting a job with Google when in fact they were getting taken in by yet another work-at-home scheme.

Before signing up for any work-at-home opportunity, the BBB advises job hunters to:

• Review the business’ BBB Reliability Report at bbb.org.
• Beware of any offer that guarantees a lot of money for little effort and no experience.
• Thoroughly read the Web site’s terms and conditions, keeping in mind that a free trial could cost you in the end.
• Be wary of work-at-home offers that use logos from Google, Twitter or other prominent online businesses. The use of those logos doesn’t mean the businesses are affiliated with the offer.
• Research the Web site with Whois.net or a similar site for determining domain name ownership. If the site is anonymous or individually registered, beware.

For more advice on evaluating work-at-home companies and schemes, visit www.bbb.org“

Self Profits Made Easy claims that anybody with basic typing skills and a computer can make money with Google.  So I guess all those 5 year olds who can type on a computer can make money with Google too!

But seriously, I would highly recommend that you read this write-up of Self Profits Made Easy before signing up for their trial offer as there are a few things about the Self Profits Made Easy site and the company that runs it that you might want to know about it, including information from the Better Business Bureau.

After reading that it will be clear why we don’t recommend Self Profits Made Easy. And you might even learn a thing or two about the full nature of the “trial offer”, including a BBB alert that was put out on one of the products that Self Profits Made Easy initially was pushing.

YourProfitGateWay.com is a site run by Pacific WebWorks which entered into the folloing Settlement Agreement with the Utah Division of Consumer Protection on August 26, 2007:

“Government Actions

On August 26, 2007 Pacific Webworks Inc entered into a Settlement Agreement with the Utah Division of Consumer Protection (”the Division”). Without any admission of guilt, Pacific Webworks Inc agreed to the following: a) to comply with all of the requirements of the Utah Consumer Sales Practices Act and all other laws and rules administered by the Division; b) to provide the Division with evidence that the consumers listed in the agreement have been made whole; c) to pay a fine, a portion of which was stayed for the company’s compliance with the agreement; d) to comply with all of the requirements of the Utah Consumer Sales Practices Act and all other laws administered by the Division, acknowledging that any complaints received by the Division regarding transactions entered into after the date of the agreement shall be subject to administrative or other legal action; e) to issue refunds for any validated consumer complaint, concerning consumers who purchased Pacific Webworks Inc products and/or services through the date of the agreement, and who file a complaint with the Division. This agreement does not affect the civil claims of parties other than the Division; nor does it preclude enforcement actions by other agencies having jurisdiction over them and their actions. Pacific Webworks entered into this agreement freely and voluntarily without any undue influence of the Division.”

However, what’s more interesting is what Pacific WebWorks did AFTER entering into that settlement agreement.

Click here to read about new sites run by Pacific WebWorks and why we think you should avoid them.

The creator of 3 Hour Profits.com claims that “I just develped a simple system one night while sitting at my kitchen table in the dark. The only difference is that I actually took the idea and ran with it, and ever since then my life has changed completely”.

And yes, the sales page does in fact say “develped”…as in I “develped” the ability to spell “developed”.

The BBB isn’t so crazy about 3 Hour Profits.com apparently as evidenced by their discussion of the product in their September 22, 2009 warning concerning work at home offers.

You can read what more about the BBB write-up of 3 Hour Profits.com here.

The BBB has issued a warning about Master Internet Profits claiming that Master Internet Profits is charging consumers credit cards despite a pitch of a “free trial period”.

The BBB also cautions that The Fresno-based company behind MasterInternetProfits “has a pattern of unanswered complaints regarding their supposed “free trial period.” and that BBB complaints specifically reflect that credit cards are charged $89, despite the company marketing a free trial period and refunds. Complaints also reflect that customers never get access to the site’s training material.”

Related:

• BBB warning about Affiliate Training Academy

Update: 11/25/2009

I just posted this under the Affiliate Training Academy discussion and thought it might be helpful to post it directly in this Master Internet Profits discussion:

Here are a few tips as to what actions you can take:

#1 of course is to file a dispute with your credit card company. You can usually find out how to file a dispute with your credit card company by looking on the back of your monthly statement. You may want to point them to the BBB report if they ask you if you tried to work things out with the company directly.

There is also good information about how to work with your banks and credit card companies at HelpWithMyBank.gov

#2 is to file a complaint with the BBB using their complaint form here.  The BBB may not be able to help you directly in this situation, since it seems that Master Internet Profits has been nonresponsive so far, but BBB complaints are sometimes used by the Federal Trade Commission in cases that they bring.

The following two steps won’t get you any direct help, but could help law enforcement should they decide to file charges against the company behind Master Internet Profits:

#3 is to file a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission here.

#4 is to file a complaint with your local Attorneys General office and the Attorneys General office of the state Affiliate Training Academy is operating out of.

You can find a list of Attorneys General’s offices here:

NAAG | The Attorneys General – Information Related to AGs

#5 – Contact your consumer protection office

You can find a list of State, County, and City Government consumer protection offices at the link below:

http://www.consumeraction.gov/state.shtml

The Better Business Bureau of Eastern North Carolina recently issued a warning to consumer about work at home scams operating under the Raleigh-based company Eco Venture, LLC, which uses several different Web sites under various Google names, including the following:

• Google Profits Kit
• MyBloggingNews.com
• YourBlogProfits.com

The BBB has stated that Eco Venture, LLC asks customers to pay for material that claim to explain how to make money by working at home and require customers to provide a credit card number to cover shipping. However, consumers are reporting that they billed much more than they agreed to at point of sale.

According to the BBB report:
 
“As of the date of this release, the company appears to be shut down. Doors are locked, and no one answers the phone at its physical location, however, consumers are to be wary of any ongoing activity related to this company’s web sites, for the company could merely resurface in another location to continue its questionable activities.”

Company details:

ECO Venture Group, LLC
(919) 606-2836
1101 Haynes St Ste 1
Raleigh, NC 27604-1499