The Geostring Scam

Recently I came across a site called "Geostring". It says that if you register for a FREE account, you will get paid $10! Then, you can earn even more money by signing up more people underneath you (yeah, the traditional pyramid set-up).

Sound too good to be true? Yeah, that's what I thought too...but, I was going to sign up and test it out, so I could tell you if it was good or not.
Notice I said I WAS going to test it out...until I read their privacy policy. You want to know why this money-making scheme is free? Because they're collecting all of your information, and that of the people you sucker into this, and SELLING IT.
I couldn't understand why they wanted my mailing address, phone number and email address...seemed like a lot, considering all they were going to do was EMAIL me a newsletter once a week with some sponsor ads. Hmmmmmmm...so I decided to read their Privacy Policy to see what they were doing with this information.
Here is the text from Geostring's Privacy Policy, telling you how they use your personal information:

BY NAVIGATING TO OUR WEBSITE ON OR AFTER THE DATE THAT THIS POLICY WAS LAST UPDATED, YOU CONSENT TO THE COLLECTION, USE AND DISCLOSURE OF YOUR SESSION DATA AS DESCRIBED IN THIS POLICY. BY REGISTERING AS A MEMBER, SIGNING A WRITTEN AGREEMENT WITH US AS A MANAGED ADVERTISER OR SUBMITTING TO US EMAIL COMMUNICATIONS ON OR AFTER THE DATE OF THIS POLICY, YOU CONSENT TO THE COLLECTION, USE AND DISCLOSURE OF YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION, SESSION DATA AND ACCOUNT DATA AS DESCRIBED IN THIS POLICY. IF YOU DO NOT CONSENT TO HAVE YOUR INFORMATION USED AS DESCRIBED IN THIS POLICY, YOU MUST DISCONTINUE USE OF OUR WEBSITE AND OUR SERVICES IMMEDIATELY.

Unfortunately, too many people don't read the Privacy Policies on programs such as these, so they get taken in. Personally, I don't appreciate getting tons and tons of junk mail, and the thought that someone is selling my information really makes me mad!

If you don't want your full name, mailing address, phone number and email address sold, DO NOT sign up for the Geostring scam.

Work at Home Scams

I'm sure y'all have read my post on profitstudiolearning.com, and how they are a scam. But how did so many people get taken in on this work at home scam? How can you prevent being taken in by a work at home scam? Well, I'm going to give you some tips on how to spot a work at home scam.

Work at Home Scams Cost Money

If you find a website that charges you money to work at home with them, it's a scam. Keep in mind I'm not talking about work at home business opportunities, I'm talking about actual work at home jobs. For obvious reasons, home business opportunities will require an initial investment, just like any business start-up; work at home opportunities should NOT cost any money. If you get a job at an office, do you have to pay the employer? Of course not! So whether it's stuffing envelopes, or a data entry work at home job, if they charge you money, it's a work at home scam.

Another work at home type of site that does not fall into the work at home scam category is the service sites. These sites offer freelance job listings for a subscription fee, or a membership fee. Paying the fee allows you to bid on freelance jobs listed on the site.

Research Work At Home Jobs

The first thing you should do when discovering a new work at home job is research it. Don't get taken by a work at home scam! Take the company's name, or website, type it into Google and hit Enter. The results will range from the company's website to blog entries of people who have tried it before. Read what other people have to say about it; is it a work at home scam?

Even if some blogs say they have experience with the site/company and that it's a work at home scam, do two more searches for your research: The Rip Off Report and The Better Business Bureau. Both places should have information if there have been any complaints about the company in the past.

Beware of Work At Home Scams

It's sad that there are so many people out there trying to scam us. But it pays to do the preliminary research to protect yourself from work at home scams. Basically, the old adage "sounds too good to be true" should be followed. If you find a site that claims you can make $100 an hour right now, it's most likely a work at home scam. Legitimate work at home jobs will still be work, and shouldn't cost you a dime to start.

Do you have any other tips for avoiding work at home scams? Have you been taken by a work at home scam? Let us know! I love comments! :-)

PROFITSTUDIOLEARNING.COM IS A SCAM!!!!

I'm sure all of you have seen the new advertisements to "make $750 in the next 7 days with Google!", right? It's a scam! Let me tell you my experience with them!

I got the email one day, clicked on the link to Profit Studio Learning, and read the information. The information offered by Profit Studio Learning is very scarce...all it says is you can make so much money with Google, and to fill in a little form to see if you're eligible for a "free start-up kit". Because, don't you know, there are only a few available!! *rolls eyes*

So...I put in my zip code, and clicked 'Submit'. Lo and behold, I WAS eligible for one of the "only 15" free starter kits in my area. There was no small print on the Profit Studio Learning site for me to read, and the page stated that all I had to pay was $1.95 for "shipping and handling".

Well...STUPID me! I didn't Google Profit Studio Learning first...I thought, it's only $2, so if it's a scam, so what, right? I'm out $2! Whoopey-do!

Here's where Profit Studio Learning dot com gets you: As soon as you pay that $1.95 for this supposed shipping and handling charges (which is bogus too, because they never mail anything to you), you find out that the $1.95 is only for the next 7 days. In 7 days, you are going to be charged $69.90...MONTHLY!!!

Understandably, I was angry...Profit Studio Learning never mentions this fact until AFTER they get your credit card number. Then, they tell you the only way to cancel your account is to mail a letter to them...which you can only hope will reach Profit Studio Learning before they charge your card.

Back to the topic at hand...I send the required letter to cancel my account to Profit Learning Studios the very next day. 7 days later, there was a charge on my card for $69.90, but my access to the Profit Studio Learning website had been revoked. They didn't list their phone number unless you logged in.

Finally, I did what I should have done in the first place: I googled Profit Studio Learning, and found out that people everywhere have been scammed by Profit Studio Learning just as I was. Therefore, I found their phone number, and gave them a call...

Four days LATER...

I finally got someone on the phone at Profit Studio Learning, told them that I wanted my money back IMMEDIATELY. They assured me that the money would be returned to my card within 72 hours. 4 days later, the money was finally returned to my account.

Profit Studio Learning is scamming people by offering information on Google Adsense for $70 a month. If you go to Google, you can get all of this information for FREE!! What kind of company tells you that the starter kit is only $1.95, then AFTER they have your credit card number, say "Oh yeah, and BTW, we're also going to charge you $69.90 every month"?

Stay FAR away from Profit Studio Learning. Just remember the universal rules:

1. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is (especially in the "work at home" arena).

2. Always do an Internet search on a company before you give them ANY money, whether it's a dollar or a hundred dollars.