Law of Caveat Emptor and Online Scams

Caveat emptor is a fancy Latin term that encourages the buyer to beware. With respect to online marketing and other Internet activities, it is perhaps the one piece of advice that nobody can do without. The information superhighway is unfortunately plagued by its fair share of highway robbers and they are not of the Robin Hood variety! When the law of caveat emptor and online scams collide, the odds are good that the consumer will come out victorious, but when the buyer does not beware and instead chooses to take an unwise chance, problems abound.

The scams themselves are legion on the ‘Net; there are multi level marketing (MLM) schemes that too closely resemble pyramid schemes; Nigerian chain letters – which may actually originate from virtually anywhere in the world – that ask you to claim a multi million dollar inheritance for a third party in promise you a percentage cut of the sum in exchange for your complicity, bank account number and other identifiable information; there are survey taking sites that will seek to harvest information that will then be used in identity theft; work from home opportunities that are little more than frauds designed to part you from your hard earned cash and also vacation deals and steals that simply sound too good to be true all factor into the world of online scamming.

The buyers who failed to beware cannot usually be quantified or even categorized, although just by virtue of the target audiences for each of the scams there appears to crystallize a favorite target:* The individual who is looking to gain something for nothing and is not above unethical behavior and illegal dealings if the remuneration is perceived to be high enough.* The individual desperate to find a job that will permit her or him to remain at home with the children.* The person who wants to help out somebody else and will answer a plea for assistance, even if it comes from a total stranger.

Even though some of the scam artists are caught and brought to justice, the lions’ share of these fly by night operations are never caught and losses are not recovered. Thus, it is up to the individual web user to apply the law of caveat emptor and online scams. You can do so easily by researching each and every promise made. Even entering some of the phrases from an email into a search engine will enable you to hook up with a forum where this particular pitch may be discussed in detail. The Better Business Bureau is a great place to check out companies when in doubt. Last but not least, rely on your gut feeling. If something is too good to be true, it usually is! Similarly, despite what someone may try to tell you, there is no such thing as a free lunch. Last but not least, let go of the mindset that getting something for nothing is a goal to be achieved; this showcases not only that you suffer from gullibility but it will also signal to third parties that you might not mind taking part in scams yourself.