Uncle Sam Cracks Down Online!

(c) Jim Edwards - All Rights reserved

http://www.thenetreporter.com

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In a 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

numerous 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 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 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 if you're 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."





** 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.



About The Author:



Jim Edwards, a.k.a. TheNetReporter.com, is a syndicated newspaper columnist, nationally recognized speaker, author, and web developer. Owner of nine (9) successful e-businesses as well as a professional consulting firm, Jim's writing comes straight off the front lines of the Internet and e-commerce.



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