Meet Jason. He’s 27, draped in designer brands, stepping out of a sleek, candy-red Lamborghini. His Instagram is a highlight reel of luxury—poolside brunches in Dubai, private jets to Bali, and exclusive yacht parties in Monaco. His bio? “Investor. Entrepreneur. Crypto King.”
Jason’s latest story features him in a penthouse, sipping champagne. The caption reads: “Made $50K before lunch. Who wants in?”
The comment section floods with emojis and fire reactions. His followers want to know his secret. They beg for tips, insights—anything to replicate his lifestyle. And that’s exactly what he wants. Because Jason isn’t actually a financial genius. He’s a salesman. And the product? His own illusion.
Jason’s game is simple. He flaunts the dream, convinces you he holds the key, then sells you a “once-in-a-lifetime” opportunity to learn his ways. A masterclass, a webinar, an exclusive Discord group—all available for a “limited-time” fee.
The truth? Jason’s fortune doesn’t come from smart investments. It comes from you and thousands like you who pay for a piece of his success story, hoping to rewrite their own. That Lambo? Rented. The penthouse? A short-term Airbnb stay. The wealth? A carefully staged illusion.
Jason’s bread and butter is crypto. He posts charts, makes bold claims, and tells you he “knew” when to buy. He drops words like “blockchain” and “decentralized finance” as if they’re magic spells. He assures you that, with his guidance, you too can flip a $500 investment into a fortune.
But what he won’t tell you is this: the real money isn’t in trading—it’s in selling the dream. His biggest earnings don’t come from smart crypto moves but from the people who buy into his courses, memberships, and coaching calls.
It’s not just crypto. Jason has friends in every industry selling the same fantasy. The real estate “moguls” who promise you can own rental properties with no money down. The sales coaches who claim they can turn you into a six-figure closer. The financial freedom “gurus” who swear they’ve unlocked passive income but somehow still need your money.
Their game is all about urgency. Act now. Spots are limited. The price goes up tomorrow. They make you believe success is slipping through your fingers—unless you pay them to show you the way.
Want to know if someone’s a fraud? Look for these signs:
If Jason had really cracked the code to wealth, he wouldn’t need to sell courses—he’d be too busy making money. But that’s not his game. His wealth depends on convincing others that they need him to succeed.
So, before you hand over your hard-earned cash, ask yourself: If their method really works, why are they so desperate to sell it to you?
Here’s a free lesson: The best investment you can make isn’t in a guru’s course—it’s in yourself. And the first step? Recognizing a sales pitch when you see one.
Have you fallen for a hoax, bought a fake product? Report the site and warn others!
As the influence of the internet rises, so does the prevalence of online scams. There are fraudsters making all kinds of claims to trap victims online - from fake investment opportunities to online stores - and the internet allows them to operate from any part of the world with anonymity. The ability to spot online scams is an important skill to have as the virtual world is increasingly becoming a part of every facet of our lives. The below tips will help you identify the signs which can indicate that a website could be a scam. Common Sense: Too Good To Be True When looking for goods online, a great deal can be very enticing. A Gucci bag or a new iPhone for half the price? Who wouldn’t want to grab such a deal? Scammers know this too and try to take advantage of the fact. If an online deal looks too good to be true, think twice and double-check things. The easiest way to do this is to simply check out the same product at competing websites (that you trust). If the difference in prices is huge, it might be better to double-check the rest of the website. Check Out the Social Media Links Social media is a core part of ecommerce businesses these days and consumers often expect online shops to have a social media presence. Scammers know this and often insert logos of social media sites on their websites. Scratching beneath the surface often reveals this fu
So the worst has come to pass - you realise you parted with your money too fast, and the site you used was a scam - what now? Well first of all, don’t despair!! If you think you have been scammed, the first port of call when having an issue is to simply ask for a refund. This is the first and easiest step to determine whether you are dealing with a genuine company or scammers. Sadly, getting your money back from a scammer is not as simple as just asking. If you are indeed dealing with scammers, the procedure (and chance) of getting your money back varies depending on the payment method you used. PayPal Debit card/Credit card Bank transfer Wire transfer Google Pay Bitcoin PayPal If you used PayPal, you have a strong chance of getting your money back if you were scammed. On their website, you can file a dispute within 180 calendar days of your purchase. Conditions to file a dispute: The simplest situation is that you ordered from an online store and it has not arrived. In this case this is what PayPal states: "If your order never shows up and the seller can't provide proof of shipment or delivery, you'll get a full refund. It's that simple." The scammer has sent you a completely different item. For example, you ordered a PlayStation 4, but instead received only a Playstation controller. The condition of the item was misrepresented on the product page. This could be the