There are a lot of legitimate ways to make money online. Then, there are those shady operations that come along now and again with a slightly different spin to their tired old lies. You can often identify them by their pious, rather disingenuous disclaimer attached to their marketing "NOT A SCAM!" or "THIS REALLY WORKS!".

Really? Before I've even had the opportunity to see what you are about and decide whether your system is worthy, you are planting the seed in my mind that what I am reading is going to sound like a scam? If you are a legitimate company, you just killed the sale right there.

A good, honest, and legitimate company doesn't have to say that it is good, honest, and legitimate. It can put a Better Business Bureau sign in its window or on its website to show it. It can give customer testimonials that don't sound like they are written by an affiliate shilling for the company. They can show from start to finish the support and quality of their products and services, including the fact they've been in service for several years. You will have contact information and ways to verify the legitimacy of the company.

The fly-by-night scammer will spend most of the time telling you how much money you can make and how "EZ" it is to make it. What you will not find is an actual business address, contact information, or anything else that would allow you to make an informed decision before clicking the "buy" button.

Yes, there are lots of ways to make money online. That flow of money should not always be in one direction. If someone wants you pay for some information they have, it is up to them to show you that they are for real and answer legitimate questions before you buy. Anything else is, well, a scam. Even if they don't always admit it.