Is income4free.org a scam or not!
Money for nothing is something we would all like to get a piece of, isnt it? We are no different at Scam Detectives HQ so when we got an email inviting us to join Income 4 Free we were, quite frankly, intrigued.Income 4 Free claim to have a need for 100,000 members to receive a weekly income of $20 (about 13 pounds) into a specially created and managed account. Thats $2,000,000 (about 1.3m pounds) per week to be paid out to their members for doing, well, absolutely nothing. Its free to join and theres no risk and no chance that you will ever be asked to put any money of your own into the scheme. You will also earn interest at the rate of 5% a week on the balance of your account.
How does it work?
The (very badly designed) website explains the concept. Spelling errors are verbatim
First it sounds impossible, but if you know how it works, this concept will lighten up your mind.
Our part is to connect as many people as possible to investors that are registered with us.
The investors need to split their money into many, many accounts to brokers all over the world, into almost all different trading categories.
If those investors work without you, their profits will be 5-10% lower then what they could earn with your help.
So they rather can gift the money to a lot of individuals and earn more, instead of investing it into just a few accounts in their own name.
You will hold an account at a specific broker and our team will manage it for you. You do not have to do anything. We do all the work for you.
The only difference is, that you never have to pay anything into that account and you are never responsible for any losses that may occurre in your account. You also will not hold any risk, like many other people do not.
You will get 50% of the gain our team will generate with your account witch is credited with the money of our investors community.
About the website
The public Whois database contains details of the people behind every website address registered. Income4Free.org have chosen to hide these details by using a whois privacy service. However, the Whois data has been changed 14 times since the domain was registered on 28th April 2010.
The use of whois privacy, combined with a total lack of contact details on the website suggests that the owners of the site really don?t want you to know who they are?.
So whats the scam?
In all honesty, I havent quite figured it out yet. It could be a money-laundering scam, with proceeds of crime being distributed around the world into different accounts. It could be an elaborate phishing scam, harvesting bank details when you come to withdraw your money. They are offering commissions when you refer your friends to the scheme, which also suggests some sort of pyramid scam. Without joining up and trying it out, I simply cant be sure, but I am sure that I dont want to do that as I could end up being implicated in a crime.?
One thing is for certain. Free money for doing absolutely nothing doesnt make sense and seems too good to be true. And as we keep telling you at Scam Detectives, If it seems too good to be true, it probably is!
Our recommendation? Keep well clear!
The Above is all thanks to the good guys at Scam Detectives.
This is from me.
I have seen this company promoted all over Apsense, Revpages, Ads, Blogs, you name it. It has been scattered all over the show. I left a comment on one of the revpages stating my concerns, and the owner mailed me, trying to convince me otherwise. I mailed him back, asking him for payment details, i am still waiting for a reply. So i thought, lets waste some time and go check out this great opportunity to make money for sitting on your ass and do nothing.?
First of all, the website looks CRAP. No real effort went into its design, which was a red flag for me already.
Secondly, upon reg. they use Liberty Reserve, i have no problem with that, but personally i will never make use of their services. I stopped in my tracks, and as the guys at Scam Detectives did, i did a whois search.
Here is the results.
Domain Name:INCOME4FREE.ORG
Created On:28-Apr-2010 18:00:53 UTC
Last Updated On:07-May-2010 08:08:16 UTC
Expiration Date:28-Apr-2011 18:00:53 UTC
Sponsoring Registrarirecti Internet Solutions Pvt. Ltd. d/b/a PublicDomainRegistry.com (R27-LROR)
Status:CLIENT TRANSFER PROHIBITED
Status:TRANSFER PROHIBITED
Registrant IDP-SP-001
Registrant Nameomain Admin
Registrant OrganizationrivacyProtect.org
Registrant Street1.O. Box 97
Registrant Street2:Note - All Postal Mails Rejected, visit Privacyprotect.org
Registrant Street3:
Registrant City:Moergestel
Registrant State/Province:
Registrant Postal Code:5066 ZH
Registrant Country:NL
Registrant Phone:+45.36946676 +45.36946676
Registrant Phone Ext.:
Registrant FAX:
Registrant FAX Ext.:
Registrant Email:
Admin IDP-SP-001
Admin Nameomain Admin
Admin OrganizationrivacyProtect.org
Admin Street1.O. Box 97
Admin Street2:Note - All Postal Mails Rejected, visit Privacyprotect.org
Admin Street3:
Admin City:Moergestel
Admin State/Province:
Admin Postal Code:5066 ZH
Admin Country:NL
Admin Phone:+45.36946676 +45.36946676
Admin Phone Ext.:
Admin FAX:
Admin FAX Ext.:
Admin Email:
Tech IDP-SP-001
Tech Nameomain Admin
Tech OrganizationrivacyProtect.org
Tech Street1.O. Box 97
Tech Street2:Note - All Postal Mails Rejected, visit Privacyprotect.org
Tech Street3:
Tech City:Moergestel
Tech State/Province:
Tech Postal Code:5066 ZH
Tech Country:NL
Tech Phone:+45.36946676 +45.36946676
Tech Phone Ext.:
Tech FAX:
Tech FAX Ext.:
Tech Email:
Name Server:NS121.NVHSERVER.COM
Name Server:NS122.NVHSERVER.COM
DNSSEC:Unsigned
Why hide your identity, if you have nothing to hide. I wanted to engage in an email conversation with the owners, so that i can do an in depth track on their ip. but i realy dont have time for that now.
So everybody that reads this can make up their own mind, leave your comments.
Personally, i dont indulge myself with programs like this, i have already wasted an hour of my time.
Go read Marks post about another fishy program. ?Here.
Comments (73)
Kathy
4
Well Buratino, have you made money yet with this program?
Cheryl Baumgartner
12
Medical Billing/Coding/Insurance
@buratino The FTC backs up what we are saying by the very definition of what they call a pyramid/ponzi scheme and or a scam.I'm not even going to say anything else. Anyone who is considering taking part in any of these programs simply needs to do two things before joining.
1. Check with the FTC to see if the program fits the accepted definition of a Pyramid Ponzi scheme. If it fits the definition that IS what it is period.
2. Check with your local State Attorney General and don't hold b
Viktor(Buratino) Z.
16
School of eBusiness
@wendy ward The naked eye can see that you know nothing about this program and do not want to know. Your feedback about advertising on the Internet, tells me that you're being clever:)))
Under your post is your ads
@Mark Hodgetts If God gave you eyes, it does not mean that you know how to think. You have not even decided the school puzzles and all of your comments about this program does not contain any facts or arguments
Mark Hodgetts
7
Professional writer and SEO service
None are so blind as those who will not see.....
Wendy Ward
7
Web Designer
Unfortunately anyone who tries to earn online nowadays is easy prey to these scammers, I know I lost an awful lot of money in the past.
I have since become very sceptical of everything that is advertised online and do not get involved in these types of programs any more.
Viktor(Buratino) Z.
16
School of eBusiness
@ppl_cheryl63 Yes, let the Federal Trade Commission is taking steps, but only if they are due your book and in the course, where the pyramid/Ponzi scheme...We are for the time we get the money:)))
@Mark Hodgetts As for you, and they have the capacity
Cheryl Baumgartner
12
Medical Billing/Coding/Insurance
@Mark Now that reminds me of Maynard G Krebbs from the old Dobie Gillis Show. "Wooorrkk????"
I guess that's a scary concept to to the marks; but not the scammers who are willing to work their butts off to part honest hardworking but gullible people from their money.
Mark Hodgetts
7
Professional writer and SEO service
Oh no - does this mean I have to work for my money? :-)
Cheryl Baumgartner
12
Medical Billing/Coding/Insurance
Oh so now we are around to giving $400 for a 5% return? That is called a HYIP and has been targeted by the FTC as a pyramid/Ponzi scheme. When a sanctioned government agency such as the Federal Trade Commission puts something on a list to avoid as a scam, there's nothing unfounded about it. That program made the list because people have ALREADY fallen victim and been hurt by it.
Sorry but in my book the FTC's word is way more credible since their defined goal is to protect the consumer not
Viktor(Buratino) Z.
16
School of eBusiness
@Hsmith That's right, do not listen to these unfounded attacks on the company. We have to verify it, the more that we now give to the management of $ 400 each with a return of 5% per week. Release of funds may be reached at 5000 dollars.
It remains to solve the puzzle school. When this can happen?
Cheryl Baumgartner
12
Medical Billing/Coding/Insurance
@Hsmith Smart move! You probably would have noticed that your account did not have as much in it as should have been once they got their hands on that info.
Helen Smith
9
Consultant
It may not be a scam so far as taking advantage of the individuals joining the program, but I am sure something more than stated is going on. I like to check things out for myself, and the money did indeed show up in the account, but when it came down to my putting my banking information in that was all the investigating I was going to do.
Cheryl Baumgartner
12
Medical Billing/Coding/Insurance
Let's not even mention the fact that until Sept 13th 2010 this did not even exist. Money laundering is one thing. You also just handed your personal information to these scammers. Yes Scammers if they aren't scamming why aren't they regulated by the banking authorities who oversee thing like payment processing?
Oh and you cannot perform payment processing legally without being overseen by at least one of these agencies. If they were legit they would be overseen by the agency responsible f
Mark Hodgetts
7
Professional writer and SEO service
Oh dear. Of course - a company that was making so much money couldn't possibly afford to get a decent webdesigner and a proof reader - maybe the robot built the website as well
Viktor(Buratino) Z.
16
School of eBusiness
My dear apponent, money forex made by exchange rate fluctuations, the level of which is sufficient for one day to get a good profit. Currency movements can be processed using forex robots - software that can handle graphics fluctuations in foreign currency. However, as soon as you connect your robot to any trading platform, the algorithm of your robot will be transparent and over time you will not be earning. Let's not focus on who is going to do.
In this program, owners of the robot trying to
Dawie Bezuidenhout
11
Systems Engineer I.T.
@Buratino. You claim to be a Forex Expert.
So why waiste your time promoting a crappy program like this when there is so many legitimate programs on the internet to promote.
Is it maybe because of the promise of getting money for nothing, or no investment ever?
Money does not grow on trees, nor does it fall from the sky, unless you win the Lotto, which needs investment in any case by buying a ticket.
Any legitimate Forex program would not ask you to open up an external account, which the
Viktor(Buratino) Z.
16
School of eBusiness
Why should I trust you, if you do not how it proves your predictions and nothing can offer in return.
I say that I relied on myself to check this project than to read someone's speculation
Cheryl Baumgartner
12
Medical Billing/Coding/Insurance
Nonsense until those signing up get burnt. All is takes is slapping a fig leaf on a scam and people break their necks signing up for it.
Viktor(Buratino) Z.
16
School of eBusiness
Nonsense written in this blog, because no evidence of fraud is not granted, and furthermore, if this is a scam, tell me please what is its meaning. The author apparently does not understand that the company owns the forex robot, which must protect and work in different addresses it is one of the methods of protection. Personally, I feel better to do once a week, a deposit than to read this crap
Hajnalka Horvath
5
thank u so much for informations :) I wish u happy day