Uncle Sam Cracks Down Online!

- by Jim Edwards

(c) Jim Edwards - All Rights reserved
http://www.thenetreporter.com

In a recent move that rocked the online world and left many Internet marketers shaking in their boots, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) initiated a sweeping crackdown on what they termed "Internet Scammers" and "Deceptive Spammers."
The FTC, along with state and federal officials, filed 45 criminal and civil law enforcement actions and froze the corporate and personal assets of some defendants.

According to the FTC, they went after a wide array of deceptive schemes and illegal scams including auction fraud, illegal sale of controlled substances, bogus business opportunities, deceptive money-making scams, illegal advance-fee credit card offers, and identity theft.

In other words, Uncle Sam gave notice that people can no longer treat the Internet like the Wild, Wild West!

I welcome this long overdue crackdown on real Internet evildoers. For years, honest business owners suffered because Internet scammers caused consumer fear and reluctance to conduct business online. As the government cleans up the back alleys of the Internet, consumer confidence will rise and sales will increase.

However, as with any crusade to bring about law and order, innocent and honest businesses stand a REAL chance of getting caught in the crossfire.

Let's face it, if you get named in a lawsuit by the government - even though you may be innocent - you'll still lose a lot of time, energy, emotion, and money defending yourself.

If you operate any business online, or plan to set one up, the following guidelines should help you avoid problems.

** Always Tell The Truth **

Actually, this basic lesson from your Mom ranks the best way to avoid all kinds of trouble! "The truth shall set you free" ranks just as appropriate in the online world as in the offline world.

In fact, in the light of recent events, the truth might actually keep you out of jail!

** Avoid Outrageous Claims **

Don't make outrageous claims you can't substantiate. A big difference exists between good copywriting (salesmanship in print) and making claims that no sane person, or at least the average person, could ever achieve.

It's one thing to tell people you can show them "how to get thousands of hits to their website." It's quite another to say you will "show them how to get 10,000 hits to their website by tomorrow and make $15,000 this weekend."


** Get The Correct Legal Documents **

Every website should maintain certain legal documents in order to operate within the guidelines set forth by the FTC. As with any law, ignorance of the law does not excuse disobeying the rules!

You must know whether your business needs a disclaimer, terms of service, privacy notice and other legal documents. And, by the way, the time to find out you should have posted them on your site is NOT after you've been served with legal papers by the government!

** Turn the Tables **

Look at what your business promises and actually delivers from the standpoint of a consumer.

Would you feel happy or sad once you did business with yourself?

Would you feel like you got your money's worth, or would you feel like you'd been held up at gunpoint in the middle of the night in the mini-mart parking lot?

Your gut answer to that question will go a long way toward keeping you out of trouble with the government.

Sort of funny how the "Golden Rule" of "do unto others as you would have them do unto you" keeps cropping up in life as a way to consistently avoid trouble and heartache.
______________________________________________________________

Jim Edwards is a syndicated newspaper columnist and the co- author of an amazing new ebook, "Turn Words Into Traffic," that will teach you how to use free articles to quickly drive thousands of targeted visitors to your website or affiliate link! Click Here.

______________________________________________________________

A Note From WebPreneurship.com Editorial Staff:

Jim Edwards and David Garfinkel are two of the web's most respected and best-known authors! Indeed, they are prolific. Read more of their articles by following the links below:

The Top Seven Mistakes eBook Authors Make, by Jim Edwards and David Garfinkel.

Web Surfers Revolt Against "Pushy" Advertising, by Jim Edwards.

Uncle Sam Cracks Down Online!, by Jim Edwards.

6 'Life or Death' Factors For Any Website!, by Jim Edwards.

Let's Get One Thing Straight About Being A Published Author, by Jim Edwards and David Garfinkel.

Crying For Help Online, by Jim Edwards.

12 Steps to Creating a Business Online, by Jim Edwards.

The Ten Web Page "Commandments, by Jim Edwards.

Simple Survey Leads To Big Profits Online, by Jim Edwards.

Skyrocket Website Traffic With "OPT", by Jim Edwards and David Garfinkel.

The Secret Behind Million-Dollar Ads, by David Garfinkel.

Discover Hidden Profits in 'Spare Change' Time, by Jim Edwards.

Why Some Ads Fail Miserably While Others Succeed Wonderfully, by David Garfinkel.

Busting Online Copyright Thieves, by Jim Edwards.

How to Guarantee Your Way to Greater Direct Marketing Success, by David Garfinkel.

3 Keys to Striking It Rich Online, by Jim Edwards.

The E-Factor: Two Ways to Get More Back from Every Promotion, by David Garfinkel.

How to Prevent Online Identity Theft, by Jim Edwards.

The First Step to a Best-Selling Ebook, by David Garfinkel.

______________________________________________________________

If you are looking for a better work situation and an improved lifestyle, go to WebPreneurship.com. We are changing lives every day! We provide an extensive collection of articles, tools, and resources for business, work-at-home, Internet, freelance, or regular employment opportunities, for you! Go ahead, start using the power of information to change your life, too. Take control of your own destiny with WebPreneurship.com!

Visit http://webpreneurship.com and start reaching for the top, TODAY!

http://webpreneurship.com
Copyright 2003, All Rights Reserved, Worldwide