I know the economy is in a bit of a pickle right now. And while so many would LOVE to believe the sales pitches that you can make income from home – I have to warn you.

Working online is like running any kind of business. You should go in with an idea of what kind of business you would run – if the internet did not exist. Yep – you are essentially running a home business.

There is no one system or method – there is only what is within you.

Online marketing is the same as offline marketing. You have to sell stuff. And if you don’t know diddly about what you are selling you are not going to be very good at it.

I can’t tell you what niche to follow – but I can tell you with any business you will need a plan. I can also tell you there are a LOT of ways to sell stuff online. If you have not seen it, I have a silly report in the upper right corner of this site right now. Sign up – really. It will show you just a few different ways to make money.

And you know what? That report will probably leave you with more questions than answers. And that is GOOD. You need to ask questions. You need to know what your options are.

I can suggest things, tell you what I like and what I don’t – but ultimately it is up to each of us to do our due diligence when looking up programs to promote, which are hopefully something you believe in and things that will compliment your personal business.

        

No Affiliate links here – Come on over!
http://www.warriorforum.com/test-forum/132005-free-video-reveals-1-secret-your-im-success-war-room-uncut.html#post1256057

        

I decided to do a bit more digging today. So many underestimate the power of Google and the all mighty Press Release.

Press Releases can assist in backlinks to a site, and promotion of a company or product. I found a talented press release writer named Jennifer Lynn. Appears she has a love for video as well after I visited her blog named “My Social Responsibility.”  Jennifer may be some how involved with these 2 companies as she states “I now help people get their money back from fraudulent businesses and plan to build a network owned opportunity” and she did write the press release for both. Again, I am left with more questions than answers – which becomes the norm in this type of investigative work. I hope she can clear up the need for using 2 names – Woods and Mason – and maybe has more information on these companies and what she really understands about them. I also don’t understand the matching PO boxes provided for “more information”. Whether these companies are truly related or not, you have to agree it is puzzling how both seem to emerge at the same time, and how both have a press release written by the same writer. In addition how both stem back to Arizona.

I’m still out to help my friend Jim – who by the way I was quite shocked to find that his website was not found in the wayback machine when I tried to find exactly what site he had purchased. Not sure what that is about – as I would have expected his site to be up for at least a year after a 10g investment – and of course it would have been picked up by the wayback machine.

My findings today were complicated and would result in a 2000 word or more blog post, so I thought I should just video tape them to show what I did and what I found. Hopefully someone can learn some of these same investigative techniques and save themselves from further distress.

What I show in these videos is just some of the first steps I do when beginning research on a product, service or website. The clues are all there, it’s just a matter of knowing how to spot them. A lot of clicking to see where things go. Nothing hard.

Due to the restrictions of youtube and my gift of the word “um” I needed to break this into two pieces as it slightly exceeded the 10 minute limit – so I apologize.

Hope you enjoy!

Part 2

        

I recently had a member who had received an email, his name has been removed to protect his identity. Here is how it read:

Attn:(insert name here)

I am the personal/sole executor to the late Mr.Robert Schroeter  hereinafter referred to as my client who worked as an independent oil magnate in my country.He died in a car crash with his immediate family in East London on November 5, 2002..

Mr Robert had Left behind a deposit of 6.8 Million British Pounds Sterling only with a trust company After his death,the Trust company contacted me being his attorney to provide who is right heir to his fortune and this according to them is their policy in sure circumstances.Directors of the company just adopted a resolution and I was mandated to provide his right heir for the release of the fund within a very limited time or forfeit the fund as an abandoned funds.your last name is similar making it easier.

It is unprofitable for his funds to be submitted to the government of this country or some financial institution.Like I said, I require solemn confidentiality on this. Please get in touch with me by my alternative email (hammwrkrichard@hotmail.com) 44-701 113 9692  for better confidentiality and send to me your telephone and fax numbers to enable us discuss further on this transaction. Thanks for your understanding.

Richard Hamm.
solicitor at law.
44-701 113 9692
hammwrkrichard@hotmail.com

What? A “solicitor at law” is using a hotmail account? This was my first tip off that this was an unprofessional email.

I mean, come on. Who would use a free email account for such “private” information? Surely an attorney would know better. Or would he?

Here’s another email I received just today that had me even more puzzled. This is what appears to be an official type email directed to me, and again the user is using AOL. I know there is a paid version of AOL as well, heck I used to pay the 20 or 25 bucks a month for AOL when they first started – but I know better now. When you get your own website, you can easily create your own private email addresses which give you a more professional look IMO (IMO means “In my opinion” which by the way my opinions are covered I believe by the first amendment .

Without further adeau here is that letter:

THE PEABODY LAW FIRM
620 Newport Centre Drive, Ste 1100
Newport Beach, California 92660
E-Mail: peabodylaw@aol.com
Telephone:(949) 200-4610
Facsimile:(949)200-4611

May 29, 2009

Ms. Jill Carpenter
Groton, Massachusetts

Re:     Blog:  First Request for Address to Effect Service of Process: Demand to Cease and Desist:

Dear Ms. Carpenter:

This office represents the interests of Heidi Diaz and Kimkins.  In light of the contents of your recent blogs and web pages, it is apparent that you are familiar with my client(s) as well.  My office is preparing litigation which involves your recent willful conduct and activities aimed at harming or interfering with my client and my client’s ongoing business interests.

As such, demand is hereby made that you immediately cease and desist from making any further derogatory or untoward comments on your blog(s) regarding my client and her business interests.  In the event you fail to comply with this demand immediately, my client has instructed my office to vigorously pursue all avenues of relief for her damages via a court of appropriate jurisdiction.  I further request that you provide your address or an address of your legal counsel authorized to accept service of legal process on your behalf.

In the event you fail to do so, I will promptly issue a subpoena to obtain your personal information from your internet provider.

Please feel free to contact me at your convenience to discuss this matter or in the event you have  any questions or comments.
Sincerely,

THE LAW OFFICE OF TIMOTHY P. PEABODY, ESQ.

By:
Timothy P. Peabody, Esq.

Attorney for:  HEIDI DIAZ dba KIMKINS

kks/TPP
cc: Client File

What is up with an aol email? And even more puzzling and unprofessional, what if I told you this email was not sent to my personal direct email address from the initial sender? It was sent to another party who forwarded it to me! How messed up is that?

Mr. Peabody may as well have just posted it in the comments area here on my blog. Since it had already been shared with another party, there is obviously no reason for me to hide it. Apparently Mr. Peabody didn’t think it was anything to really keep private, so why should I?

Let’s address the rest of this letter while I’m at it. Hold on while I pour myself a drink.

Yum. Ok.

Dear Ms. Carpenter:

Yes, that would be me.

This office represents the interests of Heidi Diaz and Kimkins.

Why? Er I mean, you poor thing. I guess someone has to though. Honestly, I’m happy my good tax dollars are not going to pay for that defense. So thank you Mr. Peabody for offering to take her money and defend her – which by the way if you didn’t know, some of that money she is paying you was probably generated by myself during the time of the Womans World promotion. So in effect my past efforts have been paying you in a round about way. Just think, there wouldn’t be funds to pay you if it weren’t for the marketing efforts of myself and some other affiliates.

In light of the contents of your recent blogs and web pages, it is apparent that you are familiar with my client(s) as well.

You could say I’m a tad bit familiar with the case. Yes, I may have invested a year or so doing my best to help uncover FRAUD. That is what a good citizen does. Not just uncovering the fraud, but making sure others are well aware of it. IMO.

My office is preparing litigation which involves your recent willful conduct and activities aimed at harming or interfering with my client and my client’s ongoing business interests.

Oh! Exciting! An Investigation of some sort? You will need to investigate to prepare for your litigation I’m guessing? Will Kojak and Jessica Lansbury be there? How about that other guy with the trench coat – you know, oh gosh, I forgot his name. Perhaps my commenters will remind me. It’s on the tip of my tongue with some vodka right now so please forgive me.

“willful conduct and activities aimed at harming or interfering with my client and my client’s ongoing business interests.”

Now just hold on a minute there Mr. Peabody – you got it all wrong. My goal here at this blog is to expose online scams. If your client has done nothing wrong then honestly she has nothing to fear. What can little old me do here in Groton Mass? ROFLMBO Ok, I just had to look it up and it does appear that such a place exists. I can tell you with all honesty on both of my grandmothers graves I have not lived there and that is not where I am. But thank you for letting me discover a new place on google maps.

“my client’s ongoing business interests.“

Sorry, but I just had to break that up a bit more. Now Mr. Peabody, how the heck would I know what your clients ongoing business interests are? I don’t live in her house. I don’t even live in the same state. Geeze, if I had that information I would be one powerful person. I guess I’m flattered at the credit you give me.

As such, demand is hereby made that you immediately cease and desist from making any further derogatory or untoward comments on your blog(s) regarding my client and her business interests.

Hmm. So if I say Heidi Diaz did not lose 198 lbs in 11 months and was not the woman in the lawn chair, nor the woman in the red dress, I should be ok, right? But I don’t get why what you’re alluding to is that I can not say something like “she is also the founder of simplechoicesdiet.com” because that might be a business interest? That information is public knowledge. Why am I not allowed to say something like that? Is she wanting to keep that information private for some reason? Because honestly she didn’t do a very good job of it. That information practically landed in my lap – like she was flaunting it. Yes, I can’t tell you how right now for obvious reasons – but that information is avalable all over the web. Heidi Diaz owns simple choices diet, Heidi Diaz owns simple choices diet, Heidi Diaz owns simple choices diet. There. I said it. Big Whoop.

In the event you fail to comply with this demand immediately, my client has instructed my office to vigorously pursue all avenues of relief for her damages via a court of appropriate jurisdiction.

Damages? What? What about my hair falling out? What about my business going down the toilet for promoting a diet where she gave me materials to promote with that she had no right to be sharing – IE Russian bride pictures on banners? What about her false story that she told me I could use – along with anything on the Kimkins site to promote her diet? You want to talk damages? What about the mental anguish I faced when realizing I was promoting a diet that was based on fraud? That I believed that woman had lost weight and kept it off, only to find out it was all a lie? Do you have any clue about my damages? I have been VERY kind to not even address them in full at this time, but if you think I am going to sit here and take your threatening letter, you’d better think again.

I further request that you provide your address or an address of your legal counsel authorized to accept service of legal process on your behalf.

Request all you want Mr. Peabody. Perhaps I will request to get your computer and email correspondence as for all I know you sent this email to a thousand people. An email that should have been sent directly to me as a private and confidential matter. That you sir had knowledge of my websites, and could have simply sent me an email though the proper channels, but chose to send it to a random person who now knows about this.

In the event you fail to do so, I will promptly issue a subpoena to obtain your personal information from your internet provider.

I’ll tell you what. You give me your information, and I’ll give you mine. Maybe.

Please feel free to contact me at your convenience to discuss this matter or in the event you have  any questions or comments.

Here’s a tip to you Mr. Peabody – if that is your real name. Get yourself a real email address to reply to other than that AOL thing you put on your letter. That just doesn’t cut it for me – as you can see from the first scam mail at the top of this post.

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I have become overwhelmed with the number of applications for twitter. Not just those currently available, but the ones I keep hearing tidbits about.

I won’t take up much of your time, just wanted to say thank you to all of my followers and I hope I’m able to provide some things for either you or people you know who may need some additional assistance using Twitter – as well as any other topics I may be familiar with.

Some of my followers this past week have been extremely helpful in getting me out of some pickles, and getting information I couldn’t wait to hear. And someone was even kind enough to stop me in my tracks when I posted something that I had heard from someone else, that turned out to be amongst the things urban legends are made of.

Are you looking for more followers? My advice – start following a lot of folks. While you can see someones profile, and perhaps a link to their website, you really don’t know who you are following until you are able to see them in action. I like to give everyone a fair shot.

My friend told me her Grandmother used to say, “Well, you just don’t know a man until you’ve slept with him.”

I think this can be roughly applied where Twitter is concerned. You just don’t really know a Tweet until you’ve followed them

        

Here’s the email I got:

REMEMBER: Cell Phone Numbers Go Public next month.
REMINDER…. all cell phone numbers are being released to telemarketing companies and you will start to receive sale calls.

….. YOU WILL BE CHARGED FOR THESE CALLS

To prevent this, call the following number from your cell phone: 888-382-1222.
It is the National DO NOT CALL list. It will only take a minute of your time. It blocks your number for five (5) years. You must call from the cell phone number you want to have blocked. You cannot call from a different phone number.

HELP OTHERS BY PASSING THIS ON TO ALL YOUR FRIENDS.. It takes about 20 seconds.

My reason in sharing this is not to shame the person who sent it to me. I still appreciate her dearly and the bits of emails she sends.

What I do need to share is that I blindly accepted the information without doing my own little search first. So like the responsible citizen I am, I twittered it. I also posted it to avenuegirl.

Turns out this message is an urban legend and no, I won’t be getting a bunch of solicitors calling my cell phone. While this didn’t hurt anything to call and add my number, I had been given a wake up call.

All it took was a simple google search to see the rumor exposed. Someone on Twitter was kind enough to reply to me to let me know that was an old hoax. Gotta love Twitter for that.

The moral of the story here? Always be sure to verify your sources. They may not be trying to give you misinformation, but it can still happen.

My other advice? Twitter rocks. I want to thank @jhnwssr for sorting that out quickly for me, and let you all know if you are not yet on Twitter you are missing out. You can get a great free guide to get yourself started that will give you 7 secrets you need to know about Twitter.

        

Here’s a sample one. I’ll post the issues with this email below.
___________________________________________________

You are receiving this email because we wish you to use our web design service.

We are web design studio from China. We are specialized in web page design, website development, graphics & multi-media design, flash website design and other relevant services. We pride ourselves with our technical strength, professional vision, unique style, and most of all, our highly devoted professional designers. We are in position to offer website solution, graphics design, e-commerce solution, online promotion and other medium and small business oriented services.

Core offerings

Business website design
Business website redesign
Flash website design
Flash website redesign
Ecommerce website design
Ecommerce website redesign
Company website design
Company catalog design
Company logo design
Graphic design
Google search engine optimization
ERP Solutions

Pls check our website to see portfolio.

Best regards,
Don
N.DAK Information Technologies
Website team
Contact: ittechresponse@gmail.com

Send address to ittechunsub@gmail.com for unsubscribe
______________________________________________________

Ok, so here’s the deal. If I reply to this email, they will know my email address is a responsive one, and off I go onto some massive spam list. There is no real offer of web design here.

If I try to “unsubscribe” the same issue will occur. You’ll notice, there is no actual website for me to refer to which is mentioned in the letter. If there were, I’d be able to cut and paste it into my addy bar and visit directly – allowing me to email the owner of the site from there. Yes, do a cut and paste and never click on the link in the email if you don’t know who it is really coming from.

Don’t let these innocent emails fool you!

I now have much of my mail filtered – including this piece here.

Best thing to do? Toss it into the trash, and what ever you do, Don’t Reply!

        

You can comment on blogs, answer questions on sites that allow a resource link, write tons of articles. But one of the most simple and effective ways to get backlinks it grossly over looked. Online directories.

Online directories allow a site to submit themselves, along with a brief description on what their site is about. They are a direct and clearly focused simple way to gain links that you don’t have to pay a lot of money for. They are great “follow” links, and typically your niche is categorized with others that are similar giving you just a little more love from the search engines.

If you own your own domain, taking some time to search out a few good directories can help you reap long term rewards for just a tiny bit of your time.

Take a moment now to visit The Linking Directory. TheLinkingDirectory.com provides free, highly categorized links in an Alexa ranked environment. If you do nothing else for your site today, be sure to take a moment and give yourself a link. Your site will thank you for it.

        

I have a hub where someone left a comment. They claimed they didn’t know anything about the subject of the hub. Later, that same person commented on a blog (not mine) using a user name of the product I was talking about on the hub.

On the hub, they linked to something different, but used the same web site address when entering their name into the other blog that was commented on. Hard to explain. Let’s just say both comments linked back to the same site which promotes a competing product.

Are you paying attention? Do you look at the comments left for you on your blog and in other places? Ever click on the links to see where they go?

It’s not stupid at all for this person to be following me – but they are silly not to realize that even when I’m not paying attention, I’m still paying attention.

I’m kinda flattered, and annoyed at the same time. The fact that someone would want to follow some tactics I’ve discovered myself.

I’ve had to wonder just how many people have been following me. Not everyone leaves comments behind on blogs they’ve visited. I personally try to leave comments where I’ve found helpful information.

How does one determine what to give away and what should be freely handed out? I have possibly explained and exposed some things too well on this blog.

Do I need to go around and mop up some of my digital footprints? Hehe, that would take a long time.

A couple of days ago I was struggling with a thought. I was thinking back to pen names and how marketers use them in an attempt to market different niches and not come across as a Jack (or Jill) of all trades expert of none. I was thinking about this, as I got an alert in my mail from Hub pages. Someone I follow there has done so many different topics under the same name. Why shouldn’t I promote everything under the same name? Walmart has a lot of things in their store. Why couldn’t I just do everything under my name?

I’ve felt somehow deceived in the past when finding other marketers using multiple names, and yet I understand so many more reasons for that now – other than just creating an identity to appear as an expert.

Even the scam I have followed has had me taking on multiple identities of my own just to try to stay undercover with some smaller operations. I was ripped into at one point for this – but it was by an anonymous commenter and I believe whole heartedly it was an attack by the enemy camp.

On a side note, I have to say I am amazed at the abilities of the ducks. They have picked up so many skills. It is downright scary at this point. They all know the dangers that lurk online in leaving footprints behind in the enemy camp.

How much thought do I give to this?

In my efforts to expose one scam in particular and show what is going on, I fear I have revealed too much to the enemy. It’s possible to be on the team for the good guys and unknowingly give things away to the wrong team.

I have just passed my one year anniversary of the day I proclaimed “I think I’ve been banned.” Could this anniversary be bringing up all these questions and feelings from within?

I’ve been doing a bit of redecorating on this site. My support is still here of the anti-KK crowd but I am ready to head on into another direction. I’ve detached myself from the blog ring and it is such a strange feeling! Like I was part of a giant space station and I’ve been let go into the rest of the universe. I’m floating, in a most peculiar way.

It’s been a long year. I have been trained, and feel like it has all been some preparation for some things to come. I’m going to be moving in a new direction. I know there are still a few weeks left of 2008, but I’m ready to take 2009 and make some changes. They are long over due.

        

When I started my first list, it was completely in a rush and a panic. I was selling the silly Kimkins diet, and was promoting using adwords. I was paying for every visitor who cam to my site. Silly me, I paid for a lot of people to visit me and didn’t even get their names! I was devistated by this later on – not because of the missed opportunity to build a long term relationship with those folks. I was destroyed when I realized all the additional names I could have emailed to tell them about the scam. I’m confident there were many who I missed, and who for a fact I know did join Kimkins.

I didn’t get a list in place until about the 3rd day into the massive sales. It was put up quickly out of desperation when the main Kimkins site went down several times from the traffic overload. I knew people were clicking on my site, and then clicking to go to KK and they got a “server is busy” message of some kind. I was throwing adspend right down the toilet. I needed to get the names of those people so I could email them when the site went back up. It was a mess.

Anyway, here is my video on the importance of listbuilding. I didn’t go into this dirty story in that video because, well, it’s just complicated.

To see what Justin Brooke has to offer you can visit sitefling.com for some great SEO information.