Don’t Fall for Get-Rich-Quick Traps
Growing up, I got scammed more times than I’d like to admit. It wasn’t because I was dumb—it was because I was young, hopeful, and didn’t know better. Scammers have a way of making everything sound so good, like a cheat code to life. I’ve fallen for stuff like “buy a house with no money down,” “work from home trading stocks all day,” or “make six figures selling on Amazon in your first year.” Sound familiar? These are just some of the traps I stumbled into, and trust me, they don’t end well.
First time I got scammed in my teens. Dream of buying a house with $0 down, lol.
Over the years, I’ve watched these scams evolve. They’ve gone from sketchy real estate deals to shiny new bait like cryptocurrency, NFTs, online courses, coaching programs, fake inheritances, lottery winnings, and prize drawings. The game’s always changing, but the trick is the same: they promise you the world with little to effort because they had the SECRET SAUCE. Here’s the big lesson I’ve learned—if something sounds too good to be true, it always is.
I spent $5000 in 2018 buying this Amazon course from some youtuber promoting it (they had a GREAT testimony). I later found out that they were making 50% ($2500) from each course sold through their affiliate link!!
I used to trust the hype. You see a glowing testimonial or a flashy ad, and it’s easy to think, “I want to make $$$$$$ in a year!” But here’s the catch: even if some of those success stories are real, they’re often old news. What worked for someone five years ago might be a total bust now. Plus, scammers are pros at faking it—those “real people” in the ads? They might just be paid actors.
How to Avoid Getting Scammed
Check for a Money-Back Guarantee: If they’re legit, they’ll offer a way out—like a refund if you’re not satisfied. No guarantee? That’s a warning sign they don’t want you to back out once they’ve got your cash.
Look Them Up: Scope out reviews on Trustpilot, the Better Business Bureau (BBB), Reddit or Google reviews. Real people will tell you what’s up—good or bad. If there’s nothing but crickets or fake-looking 5-star reviews, run.
Test the Waters with little or no risk: Before you drop big money, try a free trial or a low-cost start—think under $50 (less is better). It’s like dipping your toe in instead of diving headfirst into a scam pool. If they won’t let you test it out cheap or free, they’re probably hiding something.
I’m not saying you can’t dream big or make money young. You totally can! But real success takes an interest, time, effort, and usually a lot of learning—not some overnight miracle. So, stay sharp, trust your gut, and don’t let slick promises swipe your cash. I’ve been there, lost the money, and I’m telling you: you’re smarter than that.
