Wrong Side of the Net
There aren't any sirens in the night, but the Web does have its seedy underbelly. Protect yourself from the grifters, the scammers and the crooks.
Psst! hey, buddy, you wanna get rich? Here's a deal for you.
I'LL SHOW YOU HOW HOT SCANDANAVIAN BEAUTIES WILL MAKE YOU RICH
JUST FOR BREATHING. OK, I made that up. It's not a legitimate business
opportunity. But IF YOU ACT RIGHT NOW and send me a mere $49.95
(plus $8.95 for shipping and handling), I'll show you how to
start your own method for making big bucks by charging other people
$49.95 to learn my secrets. Does this sound too good to be true?
What if I told you that this offer is ABSOLUTELY RISK-FREE and that
you have my UNCONDITIONAL GUARANTEE? Did I mention that this is a
GROUND-FLOOR OPPORTUNITY that unlocks the potential of THE
EXPLOSIVE GROWTH OF THE INTERNET? Now I've got you. It was the mention of the Internet,
wasn't it? Like a rotting pile of meat, the Internet has
created a buzz attracting all the world's vermin, vultures and
parasites, with the naive surfer performing as the host. We've
all read about the successes of those who made an early entry and
claimed some turf on the Net. The lure to jump on this cyber gravy
train is compelling, to say the least. Fortunes have been made for
those who own the right dotcom, but, for the rest of us, does the
Web hold the keys to our next fortune...or the poor house? Content Continues Below
According to the National Consumers League (www.fraud.org), consumers reported to
the organization more than $3.2 million lost to Internet fraud
during 1999. Overall, the NCL marked a 38 percent increase in
Internet fraud complaints and revealed that the average consumer
who filed a complaint was bilked for as much as $580. "Many
consumers shop online and have good experiences," says Susan
Grant, director of the Internet Fraud Watch, "but the
increases we've seen in the number of complaints and the
amounts of money lost point to the need for more consumer
protection and education."
|  | | | |  | | | Whoa there,
hold your horses! Read "Net
Alert" before you get suckered into a
scam. | | |  | | |  | | | | |
Todd D. Maddocks is Entrepreneur's "Franchise
Focus" columnist.
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