Avoid Being Scammed.

Hey Matt,

This is a good piece of advice and a reminder to serial refunders. Some are doing this already though.

hey Matt, great share with the work around to get refunds on digital products. I don't have the need to use it though but it definitely is a great info to have just in case. I agree with you, there are no magic buttons here, just right attitude, technique, patience and sometimes a bit of luck. You surely get wiser as you get older in this business.

I know Paypal says that's their policy but I have won more than a couple of disputes/claims that were a digital product, so it's not all black and white and Paypal doesn't tell you what other factors are taken into consideration.

...it should be noted i am not putting threads up to help serial refunders

Fact is, just about every product sold here on the forum has a money back guarantee. No doubt that there are people coming here to get stuff for free and share it with everyone else. This is directed at the people that get taken advantage of, that's all.

Not all coaching is bad. I have paid $200 to $400 for coaching programs, and they were great.

How can you make a judgment on any coaching WSO unless you have gone through the coaching? You are making wild generalizatins, and ALL generalizations are false. (That's called humor)

That being said, there ARE scams out there, so each buyer needs to do their own due diligence. Part of that diligence includes purchasing with a credit card if you aren't willing to lose your money.

All the best,
Michael

thanks for that thought. no, not all coaching IS garbage, and I'm not making that assumption here. Generally speaking if it LOOKS too good to be true, it is. I'm just pointing out a way to be careful that maybe not everyone is aware of, that's all.

I would love to post some examples of scams I've found but I don't think the mods would allow it

All I can say is do your due diligence. I've paid my $$$ share of coaching/training (not on WF). I have no regrets about any of them because I knew exactly what I was getting before I paid. They were all from reputable people whose work and results are easily verifiable.

Jeanne

right right. Another good thing to do is look PAST The first page on the post. Most of the time it takes a minute for scammers to get banned from the forum. You can sometimes find a lot of people complaining on the second page of a post about being scammed.

With most credit card companies the only way they will accept a chargeback is if you tell them you did not authorize the charge in the 1st place. Their policy is for you to work with the merchant in a case where you are unhappy.

So, by starting a chargeback process you may be committing fraud. I'm not a lawyer, but I play one on TV ;-)

Thanks for the tips about the serial refunders, I should take that into consideration in my own business (in other niches).

well, you can't file a chargeback and get your money back in 1 minute. however, if you are ripped off, and you can provide evidence supporting that claim, you generally will eventually get your money back if you go around filing chargebacks once a day, I think you would be in trouble...

Mate,

Number one rule on this forum is that you are not allowed to "out" someone you have a dispute with. It must either be resolved with that member in private, or you need to contact either a MOD or WF Support.

I suggest you quickly edit your post and remove the username from it, just replace with XXXXXX's, to avoid any issues.

Once you've done that, if you can't get hold of this person, or they don't respond to your requests, use the RED links bar near the top of the page, select Help Desk, and open a support ticket.

The more information/evidence you can provide support with, the better they will be able to help you, and they are keen to protect users on this forum, so you can be assured they will deal with your issues promptly (they cannot fix everything, obviously, and have no access to your funds, but, if you have been scammed, they will most certainly help you as much as it is possible for them to do so).

Good luck, hope it gets sorted for you!

Good thread. As always folks buyer beware.

As far as the serial refunders (what a scummy thing to do), is there any recourse for the WSO author?

Maybe we could come up with some way to keep track of refunders and ban them?

People are already selling there work with a special offer, they deserve to not get there hard work basically stolen.

you can use warrior plus and they have a "blacklist" feature to keep that person from buying from you ever again.

Wow...... I just can't believe it. I have paid $500 for a coaching program and I have more than made my money back. I believe it depends on the student and their ability to create their own system based on the info provided. I am sorry you don't just charge 5k for coaching and then disappear into the night with 10 sales.

I hear that a lot about everything here. The WSO's, the coaching, the SEO. I just don't get it. To me the things I have purchased have only been as successful as I was committed to making them. I have found something valuable in almost everything I have purchased here. That said.... I wouldn't pay 5k for something I didn't research to the hilt. We all know what to look for, so it shouldn't be hard to avoid scams.

Just my two.

That's not always the case. There is that, where someone does nothing and wants a million dollars, yes. However there is plenty of straight up garbage, as well as taking your money an disappearing, too.

i agree with this
the best thing to do is to take the action yourself... even if the coach does everything for you and creates a super awesome website, guess what when he hands it to you and you have not a clue on how to make profits from it, it's useless. The only way to GO UP is to take the stair case... one small step at a time. Sometimes you fall, then you have to get back up. Internet marketing is no different... those who say it is are lying and trying to scam you.

I agree with "mattjay"

If it sounds too good to be true, then it probably is. (Lets try that again, shall we?!)


IF IT SOUNDS TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE, THEN IT PROBABLY IS!


Please visit the following for more information:


fakechecks(dot)org


When referring to the above website, you'll want to enter it as a normal URL. In other words, don't use the phrase "(dot)," just simply put a period there instead.

The only reason I couldn't post this site normally is because the "WarriorForum's" rules state that in order for me to post any links or images, I must first submit a count of at least 15 posts (link and image free).

I don't want to make any waves here so I'm simply going too lament that I thinks its an unfair rules giving today's fast-paced, information-superhighway, where links are the "ties that bind us" so to speak.

Of course, that's merely just my opinion and as such, does not violate any of this forums rules.

Hopefully "WarriorForum" considers revising this silly restriction on posting links...

If not, that's okay, its not my website to begin with, just thought the extra insight might be helpful in determining how best to regulate a major forum-database such as this, where so many topics of discussion are posted, day after day.

thanks ive been scammed a coule of times too

It's sad to see so much mistrust out there. As a marketer, it's an incredible hurdle to overcome. Take threads like these as a lesson and remember to build strong trust elements into your marketing.

There ARE a lot of scammers out there, but not everyone is a scammer. I think too many marketers get tarred with the same brush unfairly. I also think that some people are too quick to scream "Scam!" when they weren't scammed per se, but the product or service didn't quite live up to their expectations. (There IS a difference.) In those instances, marketers get hurt.

As for coaching... I'm a DIY kind of person and do very well with self-study courses. I was skeptical about coaching, not sure it would be worth it. However, in 2010, I invested in actual coaching to the tune of $3K. I was THRILLED with what I got. So thrilled in fact, that I invested $8K with her again this year. I'm really happy I did it and don't regret it.

I think the key when investing in coaching is doing your due diligence. As much as you can, make sure that 1) the coaching program really offers what you need and 2) you "click" or resonate with your coach. What are your expectations? Knowing, as specifically as possible, what your expectations are will help you choose a good coach/coaching program. It will also help you determine when you've really been scammed versus just not had your expectations met.

Also, coaching is personal. You might have 10 coaches teaching basically the same thing, but you really only resonate with 1 or 2. If your styles and personalities clash, you'll be dissatisfied with the whole experience, even when the coach delivered what they said they would. So pick your coaches wisely.

I invested in about 4 hours of coaching for $1K with someone who spends some time on this forum several years ago. It was 4 1-hour calls. I think I used 3 and never used the 4th hour. I couldn't put my finger on any specifics, but I just wasn't getting what I wanted/needed from her. Using the 4th call was pointless.

I couldn't say she didn't deliver what she promised though. She did. So I had to chalk it up to a learning experience and move on.

However, I've spent a total of $11K ($8K of it just this year) since 2010 with my current coach and have been THRILLED. A lot of it is because of who she is as a person. I really like her -- and her style and personality resonate with me. (She also teaches something NO ONE ELSE teaches, so her expertise is very unique. I literally can't get it anywhere else, which is an unusual situation.)

Unlike info products, coaching addresses more than just the hard information. A good coach will give you personal attention (which you can't get from an e-book) and answer specific questions. They can see your blind spots. They'll hold you accountable. They'll coach you through your weak points and the days when your mindsets (attitudes and emotions) are holding you back. Those are things an e-book can't do. And mindsets are critical to business success.

I'm now a complete convert on the value of coaching. I'm willing to invest serious money in coaching. BUT, not with very many people. I'm VERY picky. And given my DIY nature, your expertise, coaching offer, and reputation, have to be REALLY good to win my business.

Being a solo entrepreneur can also be a lonely endeavor. A good coaching group can offer community, helping you feel like a part of something, (like a regular job or school does).

My coach has been FABULOUS. LOVE her! Unfortunately, she'll no longer be doing business coaching after this Nov. So I'm now looking for another coach. I'm part of my local GKIC (Glazer-Kennedy Insider's Circle) group and the guy who runs it also has mastermind programs which I'll probably join soon.

Other than doing your due diligence, I'd say pick someone with a "real" business, i.e. someone with experience and some sort of real world presence, someone who's been around a while. I WOULDN'T pick someone who appears to just have hung out his coaching shingle and slapped up a website last week.

Since coaching is also a personal service, I'd also look for testimonials and recommendations. When buying intangible services, recommendations are even more important.

Also, I'd test the waters first by buying an inexpensive product or service from them first, before investing big $$$. Buy their book, e-book or course first. Is it worth what you paid? Did it serve your needs? Did you receive good customer service? Buying an inexpensive product or service first will tell you a LOT.

You can weed out a LOT of "scammers" or people who just aren't right for you by doing these things. At some point, you have to learn to trust. So first, learn from info products, then invest in coaching when you need it. Start small and go from there.

Please just don't go around thinking everyone is a scammer or living your business life in fear of being scammed, even EXPECTING to be scammed. There ARE good people with integrity out there. You might have to dig a little bit to find them, but they're there.

Michelle

Thanks for the info.

I always try to purchase everything through paypal on a credit card - not only to provide an extra layer of protection, but to keep all my outgoings separate on the credit card statement.

If doing this you need to remember to change the payment method when paying with paypal though, because it's set to come directly out of your bank account by default.

Geeting scammed is one of the most unpleasant things that can happen to you and you really need to pay extra attention to everything that you plann to do.

I think everything you shared here is of great help. There are som any situations in which scammers can get advantage either of your trust or your lack of attention.

I recently buy website :::printing£ªdesign-Àμ⣪µðÀÚÀÎ::: at flippa.com,and I want a refund from paypal,and I lost the case.Although the actual situations are far different from the descriptions in the auction,PayPal told me ,they cannot help me.So,I will never pay by paypal in this kind of transaction in the future

How did you know the coaching program was bad???
I mean if the creator was upset at your refund maybe it's because it's been doing well and you were the first to ask for a refund.

I've had the same experience when I sold used books. Rarely had any books lost in the postal systems, rarely had any complaints on the quality, so when a customer comes along and says they had those problems my bs meter always goes off. Not to say they were wrong/right, but when you operate on almost complete customer satisfaction and 1 has a problem most likely the problem has more to do with them than the product.

Other interesting things:
Never had any problems when selling Expensive Items if anyone had an issue they contacted me and it was resolved.

Now the lower priced items I've found to have more headaches, people not getting their own mailing addresses correct, not reading the descriptions before they buy, more claims of items lost in the mail, bad reviews even though I do issue refunds for problem items, bad email addresses, etc.

If I had a choice I rather sell the more expensive items then to deal with the low end any day.

Thanks, mattjay.
There are no magic button.
If you want to success, you need to know why is the fact.

Great info! There are A LOT of crap WSOs and I always check more than just this forum for info and reviews on a product before purchasing.

Totally agree. If you feel you are about to be ripped off, chances are you will be. Always verify the feedback these services offer if they are legit. Otherwise, you might end up losing your much-earned money for nothing.

Thanks for the heads up. It's really sad when you know it's not your fault but you get to pay the price.

I think that every marketer has been some time been ripped off.One way or another.

Dimitris