Get Paid To Surf Schemes Just As Sleazy The Second Time Around

from the everything-2.0 dept

Recently, when a new “get paid to surf the net” service came out, we immediately had a feeling of deja vu, as it sounded just like many ridiculous schemes that came out during the last bubble. And as more information becomes known about it, it hasn’t defied our expectations. Matt at VentureBeat signed up for a trial of the service, and noticed some pretty deceptive information from the company. What at first appears to be a dollar amount for how much someone can earn in a month is actually a number of “shares” that the user receives. It’s not clear exactly what they mean by shares; presumably they entitle the user to some cut of the overall amount made, which means that in the near term they’re worthless, and will probably remain so. That makes the whole thing more of a Ponzi scheme than we initially thought. Of course, we’ll know the bubble is back when we see six or seven more copycat sites spring up rapidly.


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Comments on “Get Paid To Surf Schemes Just As Sleazy The Second Time Around”

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5 Comments
Get Paid To Surf (user link) says:

I don’t know about Agloco but I do know our CashSurfers.com ‘Get Paid To Surf’ site which launched in 1999 (and has been operating since) is not a scheme. We clearly state the payrate (which isn’t much) for using our CashBar application. In addition users can get direct compensation for completing special offers (like signing up for a credit card). You only have to complete one $32 offer to receive a payment the next month.

Awesome Blogger (user link) says:

I remember the old paid to surf racket. If you got ten people to read emails and surf the net all day long, and they got ten people each to do the same, you just might make enough to buy a cup of coffee at the end of the month. I forget what they were though. There was one with stars on it that actually offered free internet service too. So, that was going to be great right? Free internet and get paid to be on it? That was until you found out that you had to pay for your membership, then get affiliates to sign up under you, become some Gold Star member and then you might make something. And that was until they dropped the bomb on you that they couldn’t deliver anything they promised. So, I agree! Some were real scams. But, that just casts a shadow on the ones that are legit. Look, a person makes about $50 a month at Cashsurfers for taking surveys or buying things they would normally buy anyway. $50 isn’t much I know, but it is money. And some deals are so sweet, it’s like getting them for free. Just one example to show you what I mean, if you sign up for Ebay through your membership at Cashsurfers, you get paid about $5+. Now, that covers your first auction fees. That’s what I mean.

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