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anopenletter
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Joined: 20 Feb 2008
Posts: 2
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# Posted: 20 Feb 2008 19:06
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[ Continued from http://www.work-at-home-forum.com/14_4951_10.html ]
If you're looking to make money online, I'm sure you've seen ads for a program called Income4Beginners, which claims to show you how to "turn your computer into a 24/7 ATM machine!"
Normally, I don't pay much attention to ads like this, but when scanning the fact that the author, Jon Davies offers a free e-book that shows you how to do it, I figured, what the hell, I'll opt-in and see what the book is about.
It turns out, the "Free" ebook is actually just a pitch for his offer. You purchase a package of various internet marketing software and e-books for $40. In return, he offers you the right to re-brand his Income4beginners page with a PayPal button that's set up for your e-mail, so that basically you promote the site (with your unique affiliate link), and every time someone signs up (so that they can re-brand the package themselves), you make 40 bucks.
"Hey, it's only 40 bucks", I figured. Plus the fact of getting paid directly to PayPal instead of waiting for affiliate checks appealed to me. So I purchased Income4Beginners and began promoting it.
After posting ads on free classifieds, I made a few sales. Not much, but about $120 total. Had I been promoting it hardcore, I probably could have made a lot more.
Eventually, I noticed that I stopped receiving payments, even though I was still getting traffic to the sites where I was promoting I4B. Intrigued, I tried to order from my own page, just to see if the link was broken or something.
It turns out, Mr. Jon Davies switched the payment processor from PayPal to Alertpay without notifying any of his subscribers. Kinda strange considering an abrupt change like that would have a pretty profound impact on your subscribers' sales (since PayPal is much more common than Alertpay).
This alone pissed me off, as I knew that it meant fewer people would be able to order from me. But I had other stuff going on, so didn't really sweat it.
Today, however, I checked one of the blogs where I was promoting I4B and lo and behold - No more I4B!
You'd think Mr. Davies would tell his subscribers this. At least a farewell e-mail...something. But nope. Just gone. Bye bye.
When I did a little Google searching on this, I came up with two interesting articles:
http://www.ihatescammer.com/make-money-scams-investigated/income-4-beginners-2
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/380654/income_4_beginners_the_latest_interne t.html
(The first link apparently is pushing a different product at the bottom, so disregard that part. But the basic story in the article sounds like what happened to me.)
According to the second link, I4B fits most of the characteristics of a pyramid scheme. And now it's gone. Go figure.
Mr. Davies also has another product called The Cash Magnet, which sells for $500 (although if you order I4B, he gave you a "special offer" where you could get it for $27).
Similar to I4B, The Cash Manet (www.the-cash-magnet.com) is a collection of software, scripts and books - only this time, a significantly larger collection that Mr. Davies assures us is worth over $14,000, but he's letting it go for the low, low price of just 500 bucks. PLUS, he'll also let you re-brand the software so that you can re-sell it for a whopping $500 bucks straight to your PayPal account.
I wouldn't be surprised if anyone involved in The Cash Magnet wakes up one day to find that it no longer sticks.
Also, this $14,000 bundle of software was just a LITTLE bit over-valued, considering a simple google search reveals that most of these books and software products are available for FREE downloads at tons of sites.
While I personally made money from I4B, I feel bad for people who invested a lot of time and/or money into marketing this guy's products, only to see it dry up overnight without so much as a word.
Pyramid scheme or not, this was just bad business. And it taught me not to let my greed get me involved with fly-by-night operations, no matter what kind of sweet offers they're making.
For anyone reading this, don't let this experience put you off of making money online. There ARE legitimate ways of doing it. Just stick with legitimate companies like Commission Junction or Linkshare and stay away from unscrupulous people like Jon Davies, or anyone else who promises to "Turn Your Computer Into An ATM". That's the lesson I learned the hard way.
Good luck out there!
Feel free to PM me if you have any questions.
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getagrip
Joined: 20 Feb 2006
Posts: 1823
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# Posted: 21 Feb 2008 07:54
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Great post!
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mrsz06
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Joined: 23 Feb 2008
Posts: 4
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# Posted: 23 Feb 2008 15:47
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Thanks for this review. I really thought long and hard about doing this, but thought $40 was a bit much. After all the reason I'm searching for a way to make money online is b/c money is tight on my end.
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neilac
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Joined: 22 Feb 2008
Posts: 30
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# Posted: 24 Feb 2008 00:46
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This guy is full of poop. If you see the following names on any testimonial just delete, Nick Marks, Sebastian Foss, Ron Davies, Jon Davies, Gary Kidd, and I'm almost temted to include Mike Filsame because he jumps on everyone's bandwagon. These guys are in league with oneanother. Anyone who does not regognise this eats too much cotton wool for breakfast. STAY AWAY!
Neil
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madnawat
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Joined: 26 Jul 2006
Posts: 45
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# Posted: 24 Feb 2008 06:24
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Hey! Nice review, but I prefef not to buy books on money making as most of the iformation is available on net for free. One just have to look for right places. I think in affiliate marketing one needs to spend money in order to earn money 
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happywife
Joined: 14 Aug 2007
Posts: 1078
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# Posted: 24 Feb 2008 17:47
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Quoting: madnawat I think in affiliate marketing one needs to spend money in order to earn money
It isn't absolutely necessary, but it is a whole lot easier and faster if you do spend a bit to set yourself up properly, in my opinion.
You can certainly write review articles and submit them to article directories or place free classifieds, etc. but I never found them to be effective personally. I didn't actually make sales in affiliate marketing until I bit the bullet and invested in building my own web sites.
It costs me $299 a year to build and maintain my site, but after several months of building, I make more than that per month back so I came out ahead my first year and will from now on improve each year.
So, although it takes a little bit more money and time in the beginning, it is well worth it in the long run if you really are serious about making money online and having your own business using affiliate marketing.
I always recommend that people try to do something offline to earn the $299 to get started and then go for it. I very pleased with what I have accomplished using this method and program.
Hang in there. 
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TJamMoneyMan
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Joined: 11 Nov 2007
Posts: 706
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# Posted: 26 Feb 2008 01:20
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Quoting: anopenletter While I personally made money from I4B, I feel bad for people who invested a lot of time and/or money into marketing this guy's products, only to see it dry up overnight without so much as a word.
Yeah, that was a pretty bogus joint, but I figured if it would SELL, I'd promote it.
You should check through the entirety of this i4b thread.
I bought into it because Marv Dorn was having so much success promoting it.
Lots of other people did for the same reason.
If you are wondering what happened to the PAYPAL payment option, you should REALLY check out the i4b thread (from the beginning - part I)
i4b, and certain other programs got MANY people's PAYPAL accounts SHUT DOWN!!
THAT'S why the payment button was changed!
John Davies does NOT answer i4b inquiries anymore.
I have gotten all of ONE email reply, despite MANY emails on my part being sent.
If folx will buy it I will sell it, so I was trying to at least get my $40 worth out of this stinker!
Kudos to you for updating us on the whereabouts of Jon Davies.
May he never earn (scam) another internet DIME!!!
JON DAVIES, remember that name!!
Tell the internet WORLD!
SCAM-MAN EXTRAORDINAIRE!!!
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TJamMoneyMan
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Joined: 11 Nov 2007
Posts: 706
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# Posted: 26 Feb 2008 01:22
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Quoting: happywife It costs me $299 a year to build and maintain my site, but after several months of building, I make more than that per month back so I came out ahead my first year and will from now on improve each year.
Sounds like you should start a thread about THIS!
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happywife
Joined: 14 Aug 2007
Posts: 1078
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# Posted: 26 Feb 2008 02:09
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Quoting: TJamMoneyMan Sounds like you should start a thread about THIS!
Hmmm. I may have already somewhere in the past.  Hard to keep track!
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TJamMoneyMan
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Joined: 11 Nov 2007
Posts: 706
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# Posted: 26 Feb 2008 10:22
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Quoting: neilac This guy is full of poop. If you see the following names on any testimonial just delete, Nick Marks, Sebastian Foss, Ron Davies, Jon Davies, Gary Kidd, and I'm almost temted to include Mike Filsame because he jumps on everyone's bandwagon.
Names to avoid!
Sounds like aNOTHER good 'thread idea'!
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