Business Training

Avoiding Business and Sales Training Scams

While the internet has provided one of the best possible ways to learn new methods of doing business, offering rapid delivery of written, audio and video training content for thousands of legitimate business and sales trainers, Training Scams are sadly just as commonplace – and their “training” forms a significant section of the wider BizzOpp scams threat.

If you carry out a few web searches for business or sales training, it doesn’t take long for the business training scams to start targeting you – and soon you’re bombarded with ads and videos claiming to offer an exciting new training opportunity, guaranteed to improve your bottom line.

Often disguised as a free training course or webinar for small businesses and entrepreneurs, the ads and accompanying web pages or videos use carefully written scripts, and clever psychological tricks designed to grab your attention and focus on areas in which your business or sales skills fall short. These laser-focused ads are designed to hit the exact pain-points your web searches were centered around and offer you the perfect solution: their free or low-cost training.

For those who sign up there may be some genuinely useful hints and tips on offer, but the sole aim of these training scams is to bring you deeper into their web by hinting at greater secrets ahead, and secrets only available to their members. Cue glowing testimonials, examples of high earnings and other social proofs – after all, this is the “real deal”. By this time you’re hooked and if you’ve drunk the kool-aid you’re only a click (and several hundred or thousand dollars) away from all the answers you’ll need. And they have you.

The FTC have clamped down hard on the promotion of business opportunities recently and have very strict guidelines in place regarding exactly how ads, videos and sales copy can be presented – but we see non-compliant offers every single day.

From false earnings claims and invented testimonials, to a lack of even the most basic compliance – no disclosures or disclaimers, no contact info or refund policy. The only thing you can click is the buy button.

You end up paying for starter kits or training certifications that are useless or find your credit card is charged without your permission.

The ads don’t tell you that you may have to work a lot of hours without pay, or don’t disclose all the costs up-front. You might spend money based on promises you’ll quickly earn it back — but you don’t. People tricked by these scams have lost thousands of dollars, not to mention their time and energy.

“Be very skeptical of promises that you’ll make a lot of money,” says Andrew Smith, director of the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection. “We see [many] companies that are just out to take your money, not help you make it.”

So how can you protect yourself when looking at sales and business training opportunities?

• Only use legitimate and trusted companies or services, such as those we list above.
• Promises of a big boost in your earnings, especially when the “training” involves an up-front fee or giving your credit card information, should make you very suspicious.
• Check that the opportunity complies with the FTC’s Opportunity Rules and that they carry an FTC compliant disclosure. Are their earnings claims backed up by a suitable earnings claim statement? If not, walk away.
• Check a service or company’s credentials at the BBB and with your local Chamber of Commerce if they are in-state.
• Read online reviews – is there a pattern of complaints with the company or service concerned?

There are many legitimate business and sales training courses available online, and provided you use common sense and investigate any claims before parting with cash they can be a big help in boosting your business.

Example Cases
Work from home business scam sidelined
Business “coaches” ejected from game – for life
Promoter pitches “secrets” to big bucks on Amazon
Work-at-home scam leads to business coaching schemes