How Online Writing Scams Operate - Part One

If you've been online for over a decade you have encountered a number of publishing sites. Many have been proven to be scams.

I differentiate between the site which failed, and the site created to be a scam.

Although it might seem difficult to believe, a large number of sites which enticed users were created as scams.

Some are still in existence, many have ripped off the users and closed. The likelihood more such scams will arise is expected.

This is because of the ease of creation, the gullibility of the public, and the willingness of people to fulfill Jay Gould's dicta; that is; "I can hire half the working class to kill the other half."

Here is how it works.

Scammers get a free web site and create an online publishing venue which they claim will pay.

They create their site with a number of items they have written themselves and/or plagiarized from other sites,

They want to start with the idea that they have users, so they create a number of fake identities and use proxy servers.

Gino connects from Italy, Xing from Hong Kong, David from the United Kingdom, and Tiffany from the United States; on and on, so that it seems the site has many 'users' all over the world there is only one or two persons involved..

They go to Adsense and Amazon and create accounts in their real names for the collection of the advertising dollar.

The create more duals as readers, put links to the site on every social platform to gain actual members.

Online Publishing Scams always promise to pay, often better than what is currently available on actual sites.

The Owners, using their Duals will run from one site to another, posting;

"Join Newsite! You get paid for clicks! likes! and Articles!"

As they rope in warm bodies, they begin to remove plagiarized items and replace them with those submitted by their actual users. They need users. The more users, the more the advertisers pay.

So getting people to join and participate is vital.

To get users, money is vital. People expect to be paid. The fact is, paid out of what?

Some Scammers will borrow money so as to pay the first time users. The site may have made no more than $700 that first month, but with a cushion of $10,000.00, the owners can pay those who reached the 'threshold'.

In ancient days, there was no threshold. Contributors were paid every month. If they earned 60c or $6.00 they were paid. This is because in ancient days, those early writing sites were real and honest.

For example, Triond would state they paid 1c for every six views. The contributor could see that s/he got 126 views and so expect 21c from this item.

As the views were honestly calculated, there was no question as to how many people read the item, nor how much money would be earned.

That was then.

Scam sites perform various nefarious acts.

They play with views.

The contributor might have gotten 1k views, but the owners will drop it to 600. Those who run various analytic programs would notice, complain, and be kicked off, their articles and earnings, if any, confiscated.

They take a long time to Moderate

Some sites have 'moderators' . This is often a fabrication. There is no moderation. The article is just delayed. By holding your item for two or three days you can't earn.

They reject items

Good writers will often find their work rejected. There is nothing wrong with it, but it is rejected and corrections requested. This is done to delay publication.

They Set 'Thresholds'

They only pay when the user reaches $5 or $25 or $50. This allows them to delay payment, and use your revenue to pay others.

They have weird Math

Some sites give you a 'score' of points which are coordinated with nothing. It isn't that they give you 10 points which equals 10c, it is that you have no idea the value of 10 points, and the Owners get to manipulate the value each month.

If they decide to only pay out X dollars this month, they will adjust their points so that a large number of users do not reach the 'pay out'.

All Scams, to capture suckers will pay that first time. This 'proves' to the simple minded that the site 'always pays'.

This is the definition of a Ponzi scheme; it always pays the first time.

The simple minded, getting paid that first time, begins to write his or her fingers off. Quickly reaching that second threshold and putting in for a payment. Certain they will get it.

When the simple minded doesn't get that second payout the assumption is that there is a glitch in the system. Those who have fully operational brains, mark the site as a scam.

There are more simple minded people out there than one might assume. For people to complain that the site owes them Seven payments suggests they aren't too bright.

Scam sites, to not pay users will claim they 'Broke the Rules'. This usually happens just before payout. The money is confiscated from that user, utilized to pay others.

Usually, the owners check the location of a writer. Those in 3rd World Countries are easily 'convicted' of rule breaking, and their earnings confiscated. Those in 1st World Countries are rarely punished. This is due to the ability of a person in a 1st World Country to take legal steps.

The 'Rule Breaking' is often created by the owners. They, using one of their duals, attacks a user, and when the user responds, the user is flung off and the earnings stuffed in the Owner's pocket.

This trick has been used for over a decade without much problem, as long as those in 3rd World nations are the victims.