SCAM or SPAM: What's the Diff?

There are two words that every one who has ever tried going online encounter: SCAM and SPAM.

What's the difference?

Well, according to the online edition of Merriam Webster Dictionary a SCAM is "a fraudulent or deceptive act or operation" while SPAM means "unsolicited, usually commercial e-mail sent to a large number of addresses".

A scammer is out to get your money or any vital information about you by promising you the sun, the moon and the stars; heck even the entire galaxy! They try to sweet talk you to pull out your credit card ... then milk you dry. They promise you a diamond then give you a worthless piece of glass.

A spammer sends those ads that you receive in your email. You always wonder how were they able to get your email addy without you subscribing to their list.

Are all spam scams? Not necessarily. Most of those who spam offer legitimate products. If you are into sales you know that it is a numbers game. So if you blast your campaign to a million and only 1% of that buys from you, then that is still 10,000 customers.

Do all scammers resort to spam? No. There are different ways on how to deceive a person online, and spamming is just one of them. A very popular one is from someone who proclaims that you can get XXXXX amount of money (usually in millions) because somebody died. The problem is, it is kept in a bank somewhere and the only way for you to get it is by providing information about you. Tsk ... tsk ... tsk...

So spammers are not all scammers and scammers are not all spammers.

If you want to know if a company or money making opportunity online is legitimate just type on your browser window "company name + scam".

Hope this helps ...

Online Job Hunting

How did I start earning online?

Like most of those seeking to earn online, I thought the only way was to look for a job. It should be one that I could do during my spare time since I also had a regular part time job then. The first one that I got was a writing project. I got it by applying at an online job board.

There are lots of online job boards like Craigslist, BestJobs, Rentacoder , Monster.com, GetAFreelancer.com . A year or two ago the most reliable, to my knowledge, was Craigslist. However, I've noticed recently that, although there are still legitimate job opportunities posted there, there are some who use it for referral marketing or are just scams whose sole intention is to get your email ad to send you spam emails.

I got a few more writing projects but also got scammed along the way. How? I was asked to go on a paid trial period. After submitting a few articles, guess what? I didn't get paid. It is hard when this happens. You think of all the time and effort you put into it. It would have been better if they just told me at the onset that they need work samples and I won't get paid for it.

In my quest for a reliable site where I can get a job online without being ripped off, I kept on encountering this:

So I clicked on the banner and read what the site has to offer.

At oDesk, they have a system to ensure that everything is fair for both the job seeker and provider. Most employers pay by the hour and you are required to log-in and log-out just like you would in a traditional office setting.

I particularly like the way they screen the people who will vie for the jobs. You need to pass their Readiness test and be Certified before being allowed to apply for a job. The test is not that difficult because they'll teach you first and the nice thing about it is you can search the answer online while you take the exam. Cheating, you say? No because the test is basically on how to operate their system so the more you learn how to navigate their site the better.

After finding oDesk, I don't think I will go to other sites again. As their tagline says, "Certified Professionals. Verified Work". It has a nice ring to it, right?

More MEs please

Will somebody please hand me one of those futuristic contraptions found in cartoons that will help me clone myself?

This is one of those days that working at home just isn't possible.

My mom who usually helps me with my kids attended an activity in our church. My baby wants to be nursed and demands that I do it the minute he cries as if saying, "I want my milk NOW!"; his older brother and sister kept on arguing over some silly book arrangement that kept on toppling.

To top it all off I need to do data entry for a client, click and view websites, do some forum postings. And I am really behind in submitting a writing assignment.

I am sleepy ... hungry ... and I want to take a bath!

Oh what joy it would be if I can clone myself on days like this!

Me #1 will take care of my baby.
Me #2 will look after my 2 other kids
Me #3 will do online work
Me #4 will take care of my body
And the Real ME? Enjoying 8 hours of uninterrupted and blissful SLEEP. Zzzzzzz ...

Choosing Your Online Earning Path

The problem when one wants to start earning online is that there are a lot of ways on how to go about it. You are bombarded with lots of options. It's like a kid getting lost in a candy or toy store - too many choices yet not everything is good for you.

Without the proper guidance, your first foray into this industry is not pleasant. Being scammed a few times is more the rule rather than the exception. Some say it is like riding a bike: you need to fall a couple of times before you can learn.

Since 2000, I know that the only way for me to be able to be with my kids is to find a source of income online. I have earned a few bucks here and there but not significant or regular enough for me to count it as part of my family budget.

I was determined, though, and I know it can be done.

A few months ago I posted a challenge in an online money making forum. I asked them if it is possible to go from 0 to US$1,000 earning purely online in 90 days. I got a resounding YES! However, will it still be possible given the following obstacles:

1. The person doesn't have a credit card
2. Is not a techie and knows only how to use email and post testimonials in a social networking site such as Friendster
3. There should be no out of pocket cost or which can be started for free. If there is a fee involved, the maximum expenditure will only be $25
4. Does not know how to create a blog or website
5. Not that interested in multi-level marketing

It made a lot of them think twice.

There were those who took it seriously and were determined to help. So far, I got 8 tips from them. And these are:

1. Find a good mentor
2. Accept online work/work for someone else. Remember to also upgrade your knowledge and skills
3. Use your "list" or social network (ex. friendster, yahoo or google groups, facebook, etc) to market products
4. Do some research on opportunities that will let you earn that you can start for free
ex. GPTs or get-paid-tos (paid to click, to sign up, to surf, to read email,etc) , domain parking
5. Sell on eBay
6. Become a DropShipper
7. Affiliate marketing
8. Pay-per-install

Hmmm interesting ...

My journey to the right online earning path begins. And this time, I know where and how.