What Are HYIP Scams?

First, you need to know that HYIP means "high yield investment programs", generally ones that offer a significant return on a very small investment. The legitimate ones are usually investing your money in such things as commodities, FOREX, offshore, and other programs that can return up to 3% daily, or a steady but small income over longer periods, such as a month.

As a rule of thumb, the higher the yield promised and the shorter the return period, the more likely it is that you have found a scam.

While these programs are HY, they are also HR, or High Risk. Because the potential for earnings is so attractive, people often sink more than is required in the venture, and can end up losing everything, even in legitimate programs. This is one way scams hook people- on the idea that you can basically get rich quick.

The first thing you should never do is respond to an email invitation to an HYIP. No reputable firm will advertise this way. If not a scam, it may be an email harvester that logs your address into its database for selling to others.

If you are intrigued by the idea of HYIP, do your homework on the company you're interested in. Never be pressured by a sales pitch that their opportunity expires in two hours, etc. Take some time to gather all the information you can, including what your money will be invested in, what is the full name, address and location of the company you are dealing with, how can you contact them, etc. Then check with the Better Business Bureau in that city/town and see if there are any complaints against them.

The more they hide, the less they really have to show you.

Recommendations for Making Money Legitimately Online

Always, remember if you want to make money online, it's going to take some hard work and dedication. If you would like to learn more about starting a legitimate online business, claim your free Make Your Site Sell Ebook and Dr. Ken Evoy will walk you through the steps to building a legitimate online business.

But What if You Need Money Now?

Many people try to find income opportunities online because they need to earn money quickly. They don't really have the time to build a business or wait for results.

Other people just don't want to start an online business and don't feel their cut out for business ownership. That is completely understandable, and there plenty of legitimate ways to earn an income from home - you just have to make your own opportunities. For help finding legitimate and good paying work online, please read the article entitled But I Need to Make Money Now: How to Work from Home.