Right after I wrote Tuesday’s post about sleazy self-help gurus, I remembered something I saw a year ago. Last September I was at my ex-girlfriend’s place when I came across an infomercial advertising the “Shortcut to Internet Millions” system:
Unfortunately, you’ll have to watch it on YouTube
Now if you don’t have time to watch this clip, it goes like this…
The video features two girls (Tina and Kelly) in a low-cut top describing how easy it is to earn money from the Internet. In fact, they claim all it takes is “three clicks” and you’ll have an Internet business ready to make millions of dollars.
What’s Wrong with That?
There are many things that piss me off about this video.
First off, you gotta love how the creator (Jeff Paul) found two girls with large breasts and put them into a low cut shirt. I know sex sells and all. But in my opinion, Tina and Kelly come across as moronic “valley girls” who think you’re dumb enough to believe what they’re saying. In a way, the creators are trying to suggest that if you buy this program you’ll get money and women.
My next issue is Tina and Kelly use the word “magically” way too much. They’re basically telling you that all you have to do is order the ‘Shortcut to Millions’ system and the cash will automatically fly into your bank account. I don’t know which is worse: That Jeff Paul thinks people are this stupid OR that they’re really are suckers who fall for this crap.
Finally, of course we have the man himself – Jeff Paul. Like many “gurus,” there’s shots of him and his wonderful life that he lives…all because of his online business. He wants you to drink the Kool-Aid and buy his line about being an expert wealth builder. I’m sure he does make money. But all of his income is probably due to duping and conning people who don’t know any better.
A Shortcut to Internet Failure
Like the title suggests, I feel buying any system like this is a direct route to failure. Now I don’t believe there are too many hucksters of this caliber. However you should know there’ll always be someone, promising an easy path to Internet success.
Sure, there are times when you can relax and enjoy the fruits of your labor (like how I’m able to travel right now). But without fail, these periods of enjoyment are due to good old fashioned hard work. Well, I’ve ranted enough for one week. Just remember if anything seems too good to be true; it probably is!
Take Action. Get Results.
This almost reminds me of all the location-based ads I receive on the margins of websites. Every day when I’m reading the news, I get to look at photos of women sitting at desks with captions that tell me things like, “Tampa Moms Earning $80/hour from home!” and “$100,000 a year in your pajamas!”
You’re absolutely right. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
What? You can’t earn 100k in Pajamas. Damn, I had better change.
Hi Steve,
Honesty is the best policy.
I don’t deny that Jeff Paul has made some serious bucks. How he made them is another story because videos like this are a problem for the internet entrepreneur niche. They add to the hype machine.
All judgement aside, karma can be a real problem when you haven’t been entirely honest with people. It catches up with us all in some way, shape or form.
Thanks for sharing with us.
Ryan
OH he has made some money I am sure. No doubt about that. Unfortunately these “secrets” are such bullshit you realy can;t call it ‘hype’ anymore, it has to move into lies. You are right, i would never wish bad things on people, but karma does have a way of finding people somehow
Hi Steve:
Pleasure to see your site again as I like your blog. I love the post about Internet failure.
I am one of those people who stopped working at my brick and mortar business after getting trapped by these ads like Jeff Paul’s. I know Jeff and one of his team very well too. I see his commercials on TV too.
I am glad you wrote a blog post for it. It was 2004 when I got obsessed with the idea that I have to make money online doing nothing. Wasted lot of time and money and ended up becoming a writer to make money, which is okay. But this post reminded me how I got trapped in my dreams with these ads and in 2004 everyone used to say that you have to work few hours a week to make money online.
Thanks for opening readers eyes to the reality of Internet where you can make money from home but not the way it is described many times.
Talk again
Fran Aslam
Fran, welcome back! Glad you liked it enough to return! :). I quit my 9-5 just a little bit before you did. I also got taken in for a few programs that were garbage. These people really are good at preying on “new” people.
It is sad, because I have no qualms about paying for a “quality” product. There are so many good things that can be taught to someone. The main BAD part of these “really” bad guys is the ridiculous claims.
Really there is nothing in life of value that you can get without effort. When ever someone makes claims that weightloss, money, increased memory, real estate etc etc. Is some sort of easy effortless and easy thing if only you send them 199$ for the secret I have to roll my eyes.
Hi Steve
Thanks for the warning.
I’ve often thought that the only people making money on the internet are people selling secrets on how to make money on the internet.
As you say it usually comes down to hard work.
My first visit here, I’ll take a look round and check out your other posts.
Well it is possible to make money on the net. I make a decent living and almost none of it from MMO. Not insane “mad” money but decent. I have worked pretty long and hard to get that though. It was nothing that was instant or easy by any means.
It can be done but not near as easily as the “turn on the internet faucets” crowd says.
Oh my goodness! This video makes me want to pull my hair out!!
$1,800 in one week of having signed up for this program, and without having done any work besides, of course, signing up and paying for joining it! 10 instant websites, and they start making money for you instantly. And boy! Tina made $300 more while they were just talking! And that was in 5 mins and 1 second if you go by the youtube video, or may be 10 mins when it was initially aired on TV?
That makes me cry, cause I know I may have not even made a cent in the time I read this post, watched the video, and wrote this comment, which took about the same time or may be even more! Tell me I’m a fool not to take the advice from these two babes who couldn’t even afford to buy enough cloth to cover themselves decently!!
Looks like Jeff is printing money from all the printing presses that are available in the whole country! Somebody tell me that there is nothing wrong in the basic economics principles that I have learnt over the years!
LOL, your post really made me laugh.
Yes, these claims really are quite ridiculous. I agree. Why should we waste time even commenting. In the amount of time doing comments and replying those girls are making hundreds of dollars. Stupid us.
That is why I picked THAT infomercial. There are a lot of bad ones. That one is so bad it is actually insulting to anyone with 5 minutes worth of knowledge on how to make money on the internet. Of course that has to be 5 minutes of real knowledge, not that silly commercial.
Steve, I’m glad you had a good laugh! Coming back again to this post and reading this stuff made me laugh yet again 😀 Wasn’t a total waste of time after all… we all need good laughs every now and then 😉
Steve these are the guys that kills the good guys with the genuine product telling people that making money is just three clicks away is true only if each clicks represent a year.
Steve,
The major ways people make is money is teaching others how to make money, isn’t that funny?
I have worked successfully as a marketing manager in big corp, so I know all these marketing and ads ploy, that is one of the reason I am no longer working on that job and not using any on my blog as I do not feel right about it and I do not feel right about it.
Making money is great, fooling and hurting others to profit is not.