Creating wealth online is a difficult proposition at best
. There are a lot more scams out there than there are honest people looking to help you make money online. Many of these scammers make a lucrative living by bilking hard-working people out of their money without providing anything that is of use.
There are some sure signs that an affiliate program isn't what it's claiming to be. When watching for scams remember that this list doesn't cover every scam out there and should only be used to help you look. A scam artist can set up a program that easily passes all of these criteria.
Watch out for programs that lack a strong web presence. Most honest affiliate programs will have a web page with helpful tips to get you started and many of them will provide banner ads for you to use on your pages. A site that doesn't have a page or lacks an easy way to contact the person running the program should raise red flags immediately.
Beware of MLM (Multi-Level Marketing) schemes. These programs typically involve you convincing people to pay money to sign up for a program and you get paid a portion of the sign-up fee. They receive nothing and the only way they make money is convincing people to sign up under them. You get paid a percentage of the sign-up fees for a predetermined number of levels of sign-ups below you. There are two things you must keep in mind with these schemes. One, the only people getting rich are the ones at the top of the pile. If that isn't enough, MLM schemes are illegal in the US and can result in jail time for those running such a scheme.
Steer clear of new programs until they are established. New affiliate programs can be abandoned if they are not money-makers and you'll be left with a marketing campaign that has to be completely revamped to support another product. It takes a lot of work to start creating wealth online and having to switch products mid-campaign can be costly.
Research is key. Don't take anyone's word for anything. Check the web for people claiming that the product you are considering is a scam. People that have been scammed will often speak out against the company or product on sites like Ripoffreports.com and in forums across the web. Spending a little time researching before starting an affiliate marketing campaign can save you a lot of time later on down the road.