FastBlogIncome: Another Work-At-Home Scam

The economy is in a financial crisis and as many others, I started checking into work-at-home opportunities.
While I was scouring the internet, a pop-up window for FastBlogIncome emerged and it had an article of a woman holding a check from Google. I've seen this pop-up before but always closed it immediately, however, this time I decided to read on because it said, "As seen on USA Today, MSNBC, Fox News, ABC and CNN," which made me stop and wonder if these networks noticed this opportunity, then maybe I should try it.

The FastBlogIncome website said it was only $1.97 to start getting paid to post links for Google. In a rash decision I would later regret, I signed up. Then it brought me to a page that had nothing to do with Google or posting links. They wanted me to pay more money to build websites and tools to be able to accept credit cards. I then went to go check my email for a receipt, and I realized I had been scammed when I read the message. It stated that following my free trial I would be billed $74.97 monthly. Wait a minute! It never said anything about a trial and it certainly didn't mention a monthly payment of $74.97!

I went back to the FastBlogIncome website and searched it for information. I finally found the Terms and Conditions. It states that the trial period is 3 days and that I will be charged $2.97, which is one dollar more than what the article and website stated. It further stated that "if not cancelled, you will be charged $76.97 upon completion of the 3 day trial period. Monthly thereafter, the charge will reoccur at a total of $76.97 until cancelled." Nowhere did it say in the Terms that they would be giving payment information to other websites that I never signed up for. FastBlogIncome and their scam partners were going to take hundreds of dollars out of my account every month! I wasn't looking forward to discovering what other bogus websites were given or sold my financial information.

I immediately called my bank and reported the card stolen. On Monday morning I went up to the bank and asked them about my recent transactions. Humiliated that I fell victim to a scam, I couldn't bring myself to tell the bank teller what really happened. I lied and said that I did not authorize any internet transactions. Luckily, she said that since my credit card was reported stolen right away, only one transaction for $2.97 went through. She said that I could fill out a dispute claim and get that money back within 10 business days. However, I was worried that they would investigate and find that I really did order this "service" from FastBlogIncome, and did not want to be accused of fraud, so I told her it was such a small amount I wasn't going to worry about it, as long as nothing else went through. It has been exactly one week and no other transactions from FastBlogIncome, ExpenseTracker, or any other company have been posted to my account.

SCAM PREVENTION:
1. Stay away from companies that claim you can earn thousands doing nothing
2. Read the Terms and Conditions very carefully
3. Do not provide financial information; working at home should not cost anything
4. Research the company. The Better Business Bureau (BBB) provides details on companies, including number of complaints and if they have been resolved.

IF YOU HAVE BEEN SCAMMED:
1. Tell them to refund your money immediately; if this is not possible then notify your bank and cancel your account or credit card if necessary.
2. File a report with the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3)
3. File a report with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC)
4. File a report with the Better Business Bureau (BBB)

Work-at-home scams like FastBlogIncome are not new and with the economy in such a dire state, more and more people are falling victim to their claims. I didn't read the terms of FastBlogIncome before I signed up, which is what they count on. If I had read the terms in the first place, I would never had provided them my financial information. Fastblogincome.com had their terms on their website, but their terms were different than what was written on the sign-up page.

No matter how desperate you get, do not sign up for any work-at-home offers. These scam artists are predators taking advantage of your financial distress. If you have been scammed, you need to cancel your transaction right away. A reputable company will do this for you by email or over the phone. If you are unable to get a refund, contact your bank immediately. Sometimes, the only way to stop companies like FastBlogIncome from taking all your money is to cancel your card. Luckily, I realized right away that I had been scammed by FastBlogIncome and took action to prevent them from draining my bank account. I know that there are thousands, if not millions of people nationwide that haven't been so lucky.

Sources:
FastBlogIncome, Terms and Conditions
www.fastblogincome.com/afs/ybp!

Internet Crime Complaint Center, File a Complaint
www.ic3.gov/complaint/default.aspx

Federal Trade Commission, Submit a Complaint
www.ftccomplaintassistant.gov/

Better Business Bureau, For Consumers
http://www.bbb.org/us/consumers/