When it comes to scams, people never learn. Why is that?
By bloggeroo
@bloggeroo (2167)
Philippines
August 4, 2010 1:08am CST
How is it that even with so much information available to us today people still fall for scams? It is not as if Ponzi schemes are just recent phenomenons. They have been around for decades so there have been many documented cases about these questionable activities.
I've just read some posts at the GagaBux forums and then, at GPTBoycott (http://www.gptboycott.com/boycotted/Gagabux). I'm amazed at how much trust people actually put into GagaBux. It is just a website that pays a few cents to view advertising. Why should people trust a website by putting money into it? And why so much enthusiasm and not pragmatism with an unknown entity?
This is just a post mortem on GagaBux. No need to get emotional here. It would probably be best if we can just compare our approaches to picking moneymaking opportunities.
P.S. My approach is skeptical and pragmatic. I just join an opportunity early, but I don't trust any site with my own money. So overall, I'm conservative when it comes to making money online. I just go after minimum returns.
1 person likes this
13 responses
@bloggeroo (2167)
• Philippines
4 Aug 10
I'll take the $1. But I'm not giving them any money. It doesn't make sense for me to put money when they are the one trying to convince me that there is indeed big bucks to be made online.
Anyway, I live by a Jerry Maguire principle: Show me the money. That's what I'll say to operators of online moneymaking programs. 
@sender621 (14894)
• United States
4 Aug 10
Some people are naive and easily led. They are the ideal victims for a scammer. Some people can see a scam coming quickly. they know how to avoid being a scam situation. Getting lured into a scam can leave you feeling frustrated and discouraged. If something looks too good to be true, it probabbly isn't. People who get scammed again and agin just put their trust in the wrong places. they are too willing to believe that everyone is truthful in what they do. Research is the best way to stay out of a scam situation. It is a lesson many could learn from.
@wongchoiyee (7413)
• Malaysia
4 Aug 10
I have invest about USD150 since I come to know online earning.
But all of it are scams. Now I won't pay a single cents to any website that requires money.
@bloggeroo (2167)
• Philippines
4 Aug 10
If you don't mind me asking, what made you decide to put that kind of money into online moneymaking programs? That's a lot of money. I'm assuming that you haven't lost all of it.
Anyway, where you at least skeptical about putting your money? I mean, in the real world, it's fairly difficult to double our money. Why is online moneymaking different to you?
@TeamCholent (2832)
• United States
4 Aug 10
Greed, its what caused this recent recession and global meltdown. Everyone wants to make a buck and many don't think how it would work for them. People lend money to poor people who have no hope of repaying the money, why?
My theory is why should I pay more to earn money, worst case I get burnt and don't get paid, only thing I would be losing is my time.
Good luck with your earnings!
@bloggeroo (2167)
• Philippines
4 Aug 10
I can understand greed. I, myself, can be lured to moneymaking opportunities, but do people have to be reckless or even ignorant about handling money matters? Don't they understand or are they forgetting that GagaBux is just a website?
Greed is the usual reason we give for scandalous or large-scale deceptions. I will agree it's a good reason, but it does not explain another phenomenon, those who are in denial and continue to put their own money in the hope of getting paid.
There was a member in the forum who lamented having upgraded three times in the hope of getting paid. Needless to say, his "upgraded status" expired again and he is just another standard member still waiting for his money. I don't think this is greed anymore.
@bloggeroo (2167)
• Philippines
4 Aug 10
I've read a post about somebody putting in 50 pounds. That's a lot of money for a newbie to be having without the corresponding sophistication on handling money matters.
One piece of the puzzle that amazes me is the money transfer from PayPal to GagaBux, assuming this is how the money was paid. Surely, before you can pay, you have to have a bank account linked to PayPal. So, this person has a bank account with some money in it. I can only assume that this is indicative of a sophisticated person and yet, he paid a virtual unknown on the internet some money without guarantees.
@cotton0821 (259)
• United States
4 Aug 10
People have an inborn ability to kid themselves.They wish very badly for something to be true and blind themselves to the truth.
@bingskee (5234)
• Philippines
12 Aug 10
i haven't learned my lessons well. recently, i fell into paidsurveys and it is a scam. twice can be understandable. i hope there will never be a third because that would be stupidity.
i think you are being smart going only after those with minimum returns. get rich quick is not possible.
thank you for this discussion. it would strengthen my convictions. :-)
@ReViewMeMedia (3785)
• United States
4 Aug 10
I think it's because everyone hopes the get rich schemes will somehow actually work. The offer sounds too good to pass up, and sometimes the website is very deceptive, even if it doesn't promise a lot of money. The best advice I can give is to look up reviews for a website before you decide to sign up.
@aaronfyzeon (1920)
• Philippines
4 Aug 10
I think people get scammed because of the greed for money. Or the need to have money in such a way they will not sweat hard for it! We are all gullible at certain levels. If we think that these opportunities will be very materializing then they would go for it. Especially if they are just starters using the internet. somehow this would make their life a bit easy if they will try this. If there is really no need for people to earn money and they are all satisfied with what they have then there would be no patronizers of those scams!
