I just might have been cheated again

Things had been going really good until about 5 weeks ago. Sales were increasing and it was looking real good. Then, Bam! I have no clue what went on. I have not had 1 sale in 5 weeks. Its like the sky fell.

At this time I have well over 50 blogs and web sites. I have written more than 150 articles, and as many ads. I just have a feeling that someone, somehow, has stolen my affiliate info. I just don't know.

About 5-6 weeks ago I received an email from another online marketer, telling me that I had taken part of his article and added it to one of mine. I don't do that kind of stuff. When I went to check it out, sure enough, at the very beginning of my original article, was part of his article.

The crazy thing was that his article had nothing to do with mine. The content was so different, and now it started my article in the middle of a sentence. It didn't even make sense to the rest of my content.

I still have no idea how his content could have gotten mixed into mine, on a totally different subject. I contacted the directory, Ezinearticles, and told them about it. The strange thing is that they never replied to my email. And that was the first time they didn't reply.

Now when I submit an article to them, it takes them more than 2 weeks before they review it, and before this they reviewed all my articles within 4-5 days. So, now I'm lost as to what to do about this.

So remember, when things look like your getting somewhere, the scammers on the Internet can once again bring you to your knees. To me there is no other explanation, but the fact someone is stealing from me all the hard work I've been putting in.

Be careful of what you do online, because I'm proof that you never know when someone will get you where it hurts.

Deserate People Do Desperate Things!

The title pretty much tells it all. For the past few months, I have fallen into a very desperate state. No job and no positive outlook for the future. I, at 59 years old never in my wildest dreams would have thought this could happen to us.

Always being a hard worker since I was 12 years old cleaning office buildings, I had the ideas of a bright future. This, after all these years has not come to be. Never did I think that devoting my later years to a business that was not mine, did I think I would be kicked to the curb.

My latest struggle leaves me no good outlook. For the past few months I've been working an average of 14 hours a day, 7 days a week on online. I have written over 100 articles and the same amount of ads, with some income, but still not enough.

I've built over 6 web sites from scratch, more than 40 blogs, and done more research on all kinds of stuff. Has any of this helped? It hasn't helped me. All that happens is I work more and get nothing in return. Sure is a cruel life.

I'm beginning to reach the breaking point. How can I be blamed. I just don't get it! I see people every day that do almost nothing and have everything handed to them. Not me.

I really feel like I'm now involved in a loosing battle, with not much to look forward to in this cruel and vicious life. I have never, ever tried to screw anyone at anytime in my life, and I don't think I deserve this crap.

I have done nothing but try to help anyone and everyone, and never ask for anything in return. I try and try to help myself, with no improvement. I don't feel sorry for myself, I'm just very depressed and see only one outcome to this life.

I think all the time," what the hell did I do", does God really hate me this much. Or did I do something in another life that I'm still paying for? I only know that for me this life totally sucks. My body and mind are burned out.

I told my wife that when my time comes to be sure to tell the undertaker to leave the smile on my face, and put me in the casket face down, so all the people that have made my life miserable can kiss my butt.

I still wish everyone good luck, and try to stay away from all the thieves that try to steal your money, and give you false hopes. I've spent way too much time on this earth, and hope it doesn't last too much longer.

I Think Its Time To Look At Me

I think its about time for me to realize that the only way to earn any money online is to be a thief, a crook, a lier, a con artist, a scammer.

The simple fact is I work hard every day, all day, 7 days a week, with nothing to show for it except a loss of time and money. For the past 10 years all I ever wanted to do is earn some honest money using the computer.

I have 6 computers. 3 laptops, 3 desktops, as I upgraded I just kept my old computers. They all have different information on them about making money online.

All with different software that I bought and some free programs. I still go back to some of the older files to see if I have something in there that I may have missed. Its easy enough because I run a network and share all my files with each pc.

Never have I tried to scam anyone or try to get something for nothing. I always tried to be as honest as I could be. I just felt that because I work hard and don't take the easy way that I would eventually find the answer to making money on the Internet.

I'm finding the wrong answer. I never thought that the answer would be what I suspected for years. But I don't know if I can continue my quest any longer, to do a simple thing. The simple thing to be honest and STILL make money online.

I ask myself every day, what the hell am I missing. What am I doing wrong. I just don't understand why. I try and try, day after day, week after week, year after year, and still no good results. I still just don't get it.

Being a VIRGO I am exactly what the sign says. Except for one thing. The definition says that virgo tries to be PERFECT. That to me, in my case, is not true. I just try to make things right the first time. Whenever I do anything, no matter what it is, I want to do it right the first time. I just hate to do anything over again.

Anything I do, no matter what it is, I am never afraid to sign my name to it. I will never hide from anything. If I do something and its not right, nobody can be harder on me than me.

And for all these years, following that crazy dream of earning money online, nobody can be any harder on me than myself.

With all the time and money that it has cost me and my wife, for my crazy idea that I can make money online, it just makes me sick.

I woke up this morning no closer to making any money. Still with no job. Still not knowing if things are going to get any better financially. I'm getting to the point of not knowing what else to do.

I run ads daily, signed up for so many affiliate programs, and just don't know what else to do.

Ive run my own website for years trying to find the right answer. I never thought that it would be something that would happen overnight. And that's the only thing that I was right about. It sure didn't happen overnight. It just didn't happen.

I signed up for some programs years ago, when they were in pre launch. Now people make money with them, and I somehow was left in the dust.

Ive read so many articles and downloaded so many ebooks, and paid for god only knows
how many ebooks. I find different programs that promise to show you exactly how, but
never really do.

The whole thing comes down to TRAFFIC. Not hits. Real traffic. I paid for so much traffic and never , ever got anything from that. I put ads on forums, and free classified sites. I have done everything I was told and still nothing.

Maybe its just me. Maybe the answer is me. Maybe the answer is as simple as looking
at myself. Maybe the answer is not everyone else.

Maybe I have been running the biggest scam on myself, and not knowing it. Can that be it? Wouldn't that be something. Running a scam on myself. Thinking if I spend the money and time, I would end up making money. Isn't that what a scam is? Offering something but never giving anything?

So maybe the answer is me.

REPOST ...... MY TOP SCAM OF ALL TIME

I just had to repost this article because I feel it is the TOP SCAM that I have found.

All SCAMS are important, but when you
find a SCAM that is run by some of the
most dishonest group, it must be listed as the TOP SCAM. I plan to repost this SCAM
from time to time, thats how strong I feel about this SCAM.

The most dangerous scam on the Internet.

Thrive Learning Institute.

What I will tell you is that they can REALLY sell snow to the Eskimo's.

I unfortunately got involved with them in October, 2008, when my wife

received a phone call about 8:00 pm, by someone named J.P.

That is short for his name, J----n P---i, you have to fill in the blanks.

What his pitch was that they have 100% satisfied client's, and are

looking for testimonial's.

They GUARANTEE 100% SATISFIED CLIENT'S.

They offer you one on one training, personal coaches and you

WILL RECEIVE ALL YOUR INVESTMENT BACK WITHIN 90 DAY'S.

It sure sounded like the kind of deal I couldn't turn down.

Then came the price, $ 6,250.00, the total cost of this amazing money

making opportunity, being put on my credit card.

After I told him that there was NO WAY I COULD AFFORD TO PAY

MY CREDIT CARD FOR THIS, he said I would have ALL MY MONEY BACK

BEFORE THE STATEMENT CAME IN.

My wife knowing that I was in such a deep depression thought this

was the LIGHT AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL, convinced me to

go ahead and do it.

THAT WAS THE BEGINNING OF A NIGHTMARE, that I live each

day.

Set up a Ebay selling account , but product's from a dropshipper to

sell, and within a short time, maybe even DAY'S you will have most

if not all your money back.

I asked JP if I had to spend more money after I paid the $ 6,250,

and he said the only money I had to pay was a hosting fee,of $ 39.95
per month, for a website they wanted me to setup to sell dropship product's.

I told him that was a lot of money for a hosting fee, and that I already deal

with a hosting company that was less expensive, can't I just use the

one I have.

He said we need you to use our host because it is easier for us to help

you setup your website, we do most of the work REMOTELY from

our office.

The help that I received and the tool's they supplied me with were no

better than what you can get online for free, and on Ebay.

The so called HELP was no help at all.

I would call and ask a question, and they would answer something that

made no sense. It was like they were answering someone else.

After a few time's that turned into them saying you need to keep at it,

you need to list item's over and over untill they sell.

They said, JP, that IT TAKES TIME TO MAKE MONEY, YOU JUST HAVE

TO KEEP AT IT.

Well the dropshipper's prices were HIGHER than what I could get them for

on Ebay, the place they insist I sell.

How can I sell something for LESS THEN I PAY ?

After week after week, hour after hour, and email after email, and phone

call after phone call, getting RIDICULOUS ANSWER'S, I couldn't handle

it anymore.

I emailed them and said I wanted my money back.

They refused. I was sent an email from S--N, a so called manager.

His email also made NO SENSE.

Contact me by phone so we can help you.

Call so he could talk me into spending more money I dont have.

I had my wife contact them, and they said if I wouldnt LET THEM

HELP ME , THEY COULDNT DO ANYTHING ABOUT THAT.

She asked what she could do, and AGAIN THE DOUBLE TALK WENT

ON.

Again telling her that it takes time to make money, just keep listing

item's over and over, and get your website built.

If I cant make a sale with instant customers, now, how long do you think

it would take to sell products from a website.

They wanted their hosting fee every month, and who knows what else they

would get out of me before I had another heart attack.

THE NAME THRIVE FITS THEM TO THE TEE !

THEY THRIVE ON ANYONE THEY CAN.

My Ebay listing fee's were over $ 150.00, and going up with no sales

and all they keep saying is keep at it, and you need to get your website

setup so you can sell from it.

I started to setup the website, they had a MERCHANT CREDIT CARD
SERVICE CALL ME.

You need to do this so you can accept credit cards on your website.

I gave the info the girl wanted, and said what if I didn't go through with

this, can I cancel?

She said yes, just DON'T ACTIVATE the account and cancel it, you have

45 days before you get billed.

I said get billed for what?

She said there is a minimum charge of $ 25.00 a month if you have

no sales from your website.

Well, I canceled within 3 weeks, and what a surprise I got.

I sent 3 email's telling them to cancel my account. And when I

spoke to her on the phone I said that I would not be setting up

the website because of a DISPUTE with Thrive.

She said she NEVER HEARD OF THRIVE but agreed to cancel.

Come to find out they involved 2 other companies, and I dont know

why. One was American Express.

When I received a welcome package from American Express, I didnt know what it

was for, so I called.

The guy I talked to said this was for my MERCHANT ACCOUNT.

I told him I did not have a merchant account or a business, that I did

start to setup an online business but didnt continue because of a

disput with THRIVE.

Again, this guy from American Express said he didnt know who that was.

He canceled the account on the spot.

The other is Imax. Which I have no idea who they are or what they

do except charge money.

I really dont know which of these two charged me, it wasnt American Express.

I was getting $ 45.00 taken RIGHT OUT OF MY BANK, without ever

knowing.

This whole deal with Thrive has been a nightmare.

My feeling for them cannot being told here.

I figured out EXACTLY HOW THEY WORK.

WHAT THEY DO IS GIVE YOU THE WORST COACHING YOU

CAN GET. THEY GIVE YOU ANSWERS TO YOUR QUESTIONS

THAT MAKE NO SENSE BECAUSE THEY WANT YOU TO GET

FRUSTRATED AND THEN THEY SAY YOU BROKE THE CONTRACT

They are the worst people that live. their purpose is NEVER to help

anyone make money but THEM.

They don't know how to make HONEST MONEY.

The biggest SCAM is to tell you what you want to hear UNTIL

THEY GET YOUR MONEY.

Then they never refuse to help you and will talk to you all day long,

never giving you ANY INFORMATION THAT WILL REALLY HELP.

And thats their SCAM.

Helping WITHOUT HELPING YOU.

The more they HELP you, the more frustrated you become until

you cant take it anymore.

You wind up not dealing with them anymore, your choice, and

they KEEP ALL YOUR MONEY FOR DOING NOTHING THAT

WAS PROMISED.

WHAT A SCAM.

STAY AWAY FROM THRIVE LEARNING INSTITUTION

YOU DONT WANT TO LEARN ANYTHING FROM THEM !

IRA {Individual Retirement Arrangements}

Now, an IRA is good to have if you work for a small company
that does not have a retirement plan. You contribute a set
amount, and the company also contributes, through payroll
deduction. It is a good way to put aside some money for your
retirement. And with an IRA, like a 401k, the company
contributes also. It's like you get free money.

Also, like a 401k, if you want to take money from your IRA,
there are penalties and fines. These types of plans are not
meant to be like a bank account, or saving account. They are
for investment in your future. That is one reason for the
penalties and fines.

In order to be allowed to withdraw funds, you have to have a
good reason. You don't want to take funds to go on vacation,
or buy new clothes. Or that new LCD TV that you want.

The money that you lose from penalties is substantial, so only
take money from these types of plans as a last resort. If you
really need the money. For life changing events. The only one
that I really think that falls into this category is JOB LOSS.

Now, in a normal economy where most people don't have much
of a problem finding a job, there most likely wouldn't be any
reason to withdraw any of your money. In the times we live in,
most married couples both need to work, just to survive.

So, if one of you lose your job, after a short time it gets real
rough to get your bills paid. And when that person cant find a
job for any length of time, you begin to worry.

And what about if BOTH of you lose your jobs? It sure doesn't
take a rocket scientist to figure it out. If your living pay
check to pay check, as so many people are, then what do you do?

Over the years, I have heard that everyone SHOULD have enough
of money in a savings account to get you through 6 months of all
your living expenses.

How many people do you know that have that much money?

How can the average person, married or single, put away ANY
money raising a family? Unless you make over $100,000 a year,
you just cannot afford to save enough to get you through 6
months without a job.

Some people that are married only stay together for the income.
They just cant live on their own, with just one check. And the
way it is today, that check for allot of people, is not from a
job, its from UNEMPLOYMENT

Now if you are married, and both of you are unemployed, what
do you do?

The only thing you can do is look at your IRA or 401k. You go
for as long as you can before you decide you have no choice.

This is when you find out, first hand, how bad things really are.

I fall into this category. Both unemployed, running out of money,
and have no choice but to take my IRA, before I cant pay the bills.

The only thing I can say is DO NOT wait until the last moment.
Do not wait until your mortgage is past due, or your car is about
to be repossessed. And now I'm going to tell you why.

These investment firms do not want to give you your money.
They PLAY games with you.

You make that dreaded first phone call, asking to get your money
and they tell you " I have to research your account, and I will
call you back". That call may not come. In my case that's what
happened. I had to call again to hear, " Oh, I was supposed to
call you, wasn't I? I'm having trouble getting into your account".

After 6 days of me waiting, I'm told nothing has been started.
Is that what I wanted to hear? Not on your life. Will I ever be
able to get my money? I guess time will tell.

IRA'S and 401K's are real. They are good investments for your
future. But there comes times that you have to make a choice.

Can I afford NOT to get my money NOW and hope I can keep
the roof over my head and food on the table?

Everyone has to make that choice for themselves.
If you can wait it out, then that's what you should do. I waited
as long as I could.

My wife has been out of work for 5 months, me for one month. I
waited as long as I could, so for me I had to make the choice to
TRY to get my money. Now I will see what happens.

These investment plans ARE NOT SCAMS. They are designed
for retirement. And by what I'm going through, it shows me that
money is tight, all over. But we all have to do whats right for us.

The economy WILL get better. And if the people that have money
get off their butts and spend some, it will get better soon.

I'm not too worried for me, but I do worry about the people that
have no place to turn. The people that were never able to afford
an IRA or a 401k.

The people that have no more unemployment, and no home.

I never imagined that I would see the economy get as bad as it
is.

To place the blame, would be no help to anyone. We just
need to correct the mistakes we made, we ALL made. I only
hope that we have learned a valuable lesson. I know I have.

If we all help each other get through this, it will get better soon.

I'm not a very religious person, but I do have faith. I have faith
in God, and myself. What better combination can you ask for.

We can never lose our faith!

We can never give up!

Is Honesty The Best Policy?

All my life I have lived by the notion that it is best
to be honest. I have never felt that any good would come
from lying or cheating. I have lived by the way I would
want to be treated.

After all these years, my thoughts are beginning to
change. Its the first time, in all my life, that I ever
felt that being honest may not be the right way to be.

Have you ever known someone that has all the things you
wish you had, and seems like no matter how much they lye
and cheat, they always get what they want?

I certainly have known a few people like that. People that
will come to you asking to borrow a few bucks because they
need to fix their car, or pay a bill, and will pay you back,
but never do. You feel bad and never ask for your money.

Then you find out that they just went on vacation for 2 weeks.
Or how about the people that go to a restaurant, eat most of
their meal, then they complain that the food was terrible,
and refuse to pay. Free meal.

How about the people that cheat Welfare. I know someone that
was collecting a Welfare check for a son that was MARRIED.
These people lived like Kings and Queens. Talk about cheats!

I had a relative ask me to go into business with him, if I
put up the money. He already had work, and needed money for
supplies. He said, just give me $1,000 cash, so he could get
the supplies, and he would do the work. I didn't have to do
any work, just give him the money.

I said I will go with you to get the supplies, and help do
the work.

The very next morning, to my surprise, he left town. It was
planed all along. The plan got messed up because I didn't
give him the money. And this was a relative!

How can people like this live with them self?

Am I missing something?

Is that the only way you can get what you want?

How in the world can these people feel good about doing
things like this?

What am I doing wrong?

These are only a few of the types of people that I have
personal knowledge of.

So sad. So sad that there are REAL people like this. These
are the same people that would go crazy if someone did
something like this to them. These are the people that
SHOULD have these things happen to them.

I'm not a vengeful person, but I sure would like to see
the day that these dishonest people get what they give.

So, is honesty the best policy?

At this time in my life, I just don't know.

What I do know is that I will never change. I live
an honest life, always have, and I assume I always will.

Right or wrong, its all I know.

You cant teach an old dog new tricks.