Before I get into the meat of this post, it is very important to make it clear that there is no way I am going to instruct you how to or encourage you in any way to break the law. But you may have found yourself tumbling down the rabbit hole by accident when innocently browsing the internet.
One of the ways this often happens is following what looks like an incredible offer for a software package that you would like but do not want to actually pay for. You soon find yourself with a browser full of pop-up adverts and a locked screen. If you do not have an up to date set of security software you could also find yourself vulnerable to a virus attack or worse. It happens to almost everybody at some point.
The thing is though, as I posted some weeks ago, you’re not going to complain to anybody about your plight because you will be too embarrassed to explain to the authorities, even if you know who they are, how you found yourself in this mess.
Why do some internet marketers decide that they are going to put you through this experience? Firstly, it is unlikely just to teach a lesson and remind you not to be naughty again. The people who set up these systems want to make money.
How do they do it?
The end result is often a download in some form or other. Imagine their link pointed to a candid video of a celebrity in a compromising position. If feeling kind they might actually have such a video but this is unlikely because it exposes them to prosecution. Much more likely is a public domain video file of something innocuous (perhaps a tractor in a field in the northern Steppes). The file is uploaded to a file-sharing site where the uploader gets paid a commission on the downloads from the site. Sometimes, these sites allow you to download the file after completing a survey or giving your email to a number of offers, sometimes you’ll be required to pay.
The recipient and donor of the file will get a commission, a tiny one. The thing is, if you’re going to get less than $0.25 per download, you won’t be uploading anything valuable but you’ll want to sell it to a lot of people.
What do we learn from this?
Downloading stuff for free or unbelievably cheap is risky and most often a waste of time!
Uploading rubbish products will, in the best case, only make you minimal amounts of money.
Have a great day!
Alex Hope, from the barn where the cat has got rid of the rats!
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