You Can Only Scam Yourself...

14 replies
Greed is the number one reason people get "scammed."

Over the years I've seen tons of post in this forum and on others, and heard a lot of people talk about being scammed out of their hard earned dollars.

However, with a new outlook on life, I've realized that greedy people are typically the ones who ALWAYS get scammed.

When I was a greedy college student, I was "scammed" out of $400 by a guy selling a turn-key home based business system that would help me make money. However, to say that I was scammed is an overstatement since I signed the credit card authorization form for him to process my information, although I told him I wouldn't have the money until a week later.

Definitely a rookie mistake, and I did learn my lesson. Since my desire for greed was so strong, I neglected to do my homework, which lead to me forfeiting $400 of the governments money - it came from my student loan refund check.

However, once I realized that my account had been overdrawn - the day I signed that "Agreement" i went to the mall to celebrate with a shopping spree (once again on the governments dime) - I quickly cried HE SCAMMED ME like the boy

But the biggest lesson I learned was the importance of INVESTIGATING THE FACTS by asking questions.

Now, there are some predators out there who do prey on the weak and ill-informed, but that's a minority, not the majority.

If you find yourself in the majority, here are some questions you can ask yourself and people who present you with the opportunity of a lifetime:

1) Why is that important?

This question is allowing you to gain conceptual clarification. So when a person hits you with the "opportunity to make money without a lot of effort" mumbo jumbo, if they themselves aren't able to clearly answer the question above, then 9 times out of 10, this "opportunity" isn't worth your time.

2) What does that look like operational?

If they pass your first test, this is the make or break question. If they can't explain to you how this opportunity will function - without your effort - then know that they are blowing smoke up your assets!

Since I started asking those "make money effortlessly" people these questions, I've realized that most of them are full of steam, and aren't out to help you improve your life, they're just trying to help themselves get more monthly checks.

With that being said, not all opportunities are SCAMS. There are some decent and REAL opportunities out there, but since most people are greedy and have taken the victim route once they realized they'd need to put some effort in their new business opportunity, people now have a gloomy outlook on ALL opportunities.

Remember: ALWAYS do your homework because at the end of the day, the time invested on the front end to do a little homework is far less than the time you'd have to spend trying to get your money back.

-D
#scam
  • Profile picture of the author petemcal
    Originally Posted by dhanediesil View Post

    Greed is the number one reason people get "scammed."
    I don't think much more needs to be said than this. More people are scammed out of being sold a magical shortcut to make them rich or achieve some other desirable outcome.

    Yes there are shortcuts out there, but I would only take them if you figure them out for yourself. Anyone charging for such information is going to be a scammer 99% of the time.
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  • Profile picture of the author xInd
    90% of the time or more, a scam isn't a scam. If you think you've been scammed, you've probably just missed some important information or miss-communicated something.
    Dictionary.com defines "scam" as follows:
    Noun: A dishonest scheme; a fraud

    This means it's specifically intended to rip you off and nothing else. Just because something doesn't work out how you hoped, doesn't make it a scam.
    I've had people ask me to review something they've bought and tell them if it's a scam or not, for example a website purchase for $400 a client of mine bought off Flippa. It was an article marketing service site which got it's sales through direct lead generation not from the website itself, right after the penguin and panda updates. It used an outsourcing service to write, spin and submit articles. It was a complete working website. Was he going to make any money by just owning the site? No of course not, and being able to make money with it would be very difficult especially with the recent changes in the game. Did he make his $400 back? No. Was it a scam? NO. It was a website for $400. I charge more than that if somebody wants me to build a site to their specifications so how is it a scam?
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  • Profile picture of the author mojojuju
    Scamming is scamming whether the victim is greedy or not.
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    :)

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    • Profile picture of the author MissTerraK
      Originally Posted by mojojuju View Post

      Scamming is scamming whether the victim is greedy or not.
      Exactly!

      I couldn't have said it better myself. People can and most certainly do get scammed because they are naive, too trusting, and due to a lack of experience, etc.

      Those reasons have nothing to do with greed whatsoever.

      Terra
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  • Profile picture of the author WarrenPeterson
    There is a complete opposite as well. Sometimes, in an effort to help, you find yourself the one who has been scammed (though I suppose taken advantage of would be technically more accurate in that case).
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  • Profile picture of the author Dale_Anthony
    I'd say being naive and desperate is what puts the scammer in "pouncing" position.
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  • Profile picture of the author Moxil
    "You can't con an honest man."
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    • Profile picture of the author Black Hat Cat
      Banned
      Greed. You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.
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  • Profile picture of the author Cali16
    Originally Posted by dhanediesil View Post

    Greed is the number one reason people get "scammed."
    People get scammed for all sorts of reasons, many of which have nothing whatsoever to do with greed. However, I am just wondering why the desire to improve one's life or increase one's income (or replace it for any number of reasons) automatically equates to greed in your eyes???

    Lumping everyone into the "greedy" category just because they ended up on the wrong end of a sociopath's clever scheme makes you sound quite self-righteous and condescending.
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  • Profile picture of the author Gavin Stephenson
    I think the word SCAM is thrown around to much. Fair enough there's a lot of crap out there but to be honest for most of the crap you can get a refund without dealing with the vendor.

    This thread is so right! when you think you've been scammed you've only scammed yourself.
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    • Profile picture of the author Steven Wagenheim
      I'm sorry but this is just bull shit.

      People who are not in the least greedy get scammed over some of the most
      innocuous things. I've been scammed. And it certainly wasn't out of greed.

      Also, a lot of people are totally misinformed about what a "scam" really is. I
      won't go into all the details here because it's beyond the scope of this thread
      and quite honestly, I don't care enough to waste my time explaining it.

      But way too many people throw around the word scam for a "product" when in
      reality, the person buying the product was just too damn lazy to use it.

      /rant
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  • Profile picture of the author MrSure
    Banned
    this is a very controversial thread, not everything the op says is completely true.
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  • Profile picture of the author golfer57
    Speaking of scams. I seem to get these calls all the time. See if you get these too. The guy or gal calls up and tells you that you signed up for there whatever on how to make money online. Myself, I can never remember doing this, (I think my phone number has been sold to these people). They ask do you remember that and I say no and they continue anyway. So it must not matter what answer you give. So they go through there thing ( I let them so they can get some practice and I like to hear the pitch). So then I ask them this? If this is so good, Why are you not doing this? They say, well it is a conflict. I say, but you tell me this is a sure thing to make a bundle online with the push of a button, I would think that you would quit calling people and sign up yourself if it is that great... Well that one gets them, they fumble around trying to find the right words to say to come back at me. Well anyway, watch out for these ones online who tell you they have this great How to make money online secret course, I think they are full of boloney since they are not doing it themselves.
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  • Profile picture of the author Gerald Arno
    Banned
    I think there are a few HUGE distinctions that we have to realize.

    In my perspective, a person is a scammer who does not deliver the promised values, qualities and services. There is not much that you can do about this. The business model you intend to emulate may be 100% legitimate, however, the person teaching you is just incapable to transfer skills to you. That may be due to a lack of time, taking on too many students or simple the fact that the coach is lazy himself and is just looking to fill his own pocket with money.

    Second, a person who markets something that he doesn't have is another unavoidable scenario, and you will hardly get your money back from such a person. Well, you can avoid it by simple not buying this specific product or doing more research on the person. Sometimes, what you may be looking for, you can only get from 1 particular person, so you take the shot.

    If you buy into the lottery mentality that so many people have, you are just lying to yourself by ignoring hard work, and investing time and money.

    If you really believe that you can go from 0 to $10,000 NET within 30 days, you're crazy. Buying into the mentality that anything outside yourself will bring success is a business suicide.

    Smart entrepreneurs, meaning the ones who make the most money focus on things that they CAN CONTROL. Low level people and lottery ticket buyers focus on things they cannot control in the hope to make a fortune that way.

    Honestly and seriously, it takes a lot of pain like banging your head against the wall to realize what your really need to do. But that's the way it is. Experience pays and the more you have, the better for you.

    Forget about the lottery mentality, and do yourself a huge favor by taking massive action.
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