Over the past several months, I’ve come across an alarming number of scam sites that claim you can make significant amounts of money, buying and selling banner ads.
Or as they like to put it… ‘flipping ads’.
So much so, that I felt the need to create this post. So that I could warn people about this scam. Because yes folks, this absolutely IS a scam.
Here’s what you need to know before spending a dime…
What Is Ad Flipping About?
Ad flipping is literally something a bunch of scammers made up. It is not a real business model or way to invest your money.
Period.
As harsh as that may sound, it’s the cold hard truth of the matter.
These sites tell people that they can simply signup and select ads from big name companies, and then sell these ads to other potential buyers for a higher price. All within the same platform.
You know… once the ‘value of the ad’ increases.
These ad flipping sites also claim that you can make money on a ‘per click’ basis. Apparently, once you buy the ad, you then receive profits each time someone clicks on your ad.
Of course, there are all kinds of fees and charges you must outlay to ‘get yourself in business’. And from what I’ve seen, they are asking for $10,000’s to get setup.
But since this method of making money doesn’t work, you’re throwing money away.
Here’s How Ad Flipping Scams Really Work…
Ad Flipping scams work by luring unsuspecting newbies into buying into a fake income opportunity.
It starts with a promise you will make lots of money buying and selling banner ads, and each time someone clicks your ad. And it ends with you losing your hard earned money.
I’ve come across three of these sites to date:
- Banner Bit – tons of complaints about this scam
- Clicks Dealer
- Clicks Valley
I’m sure there are a lot more out there, but these are just the ones I have come across. And chances are they are run by the same group of scammers.
Anyways, these ask for an initial joining fee of $250. And from there, the ‘joining packages’ only go up in price, to the tune of $25,000. This is an insane price and it means this scam is really in a league of its own.
And the cost only increase from there too, because you need to fork out even MORE money on the ads themselves. Which typically cost around $300-$500.
So if you are unlucky enough to have given these people your money, that is the last you are going to see of it.
Unfortunately though, the scam doesn’t stop there…
The Very Real Risk of Identity Theft
Other than potentially losing over $25k, there is an equally (if not more) concerning aspect to this scam.
They ask for your photo ID, both sides of your credit card, and a utility bill- just so you can withdraw your supposed earnings.
They are not content to just take your money and run.
The people running the site lead you to believe you’ve actually earned something, so you submit this information to make a withdrawal.
This is VERY concerning for three main reasons:
- The business model is fake (I will explain more as to why I say this shortly)
- The people running the show are completely anonymous
- No company needs that sort of info just to allow you to withdraw your money
So this is a particularly vicious scam and one that goes beyond just taking your money. If your personal informations gets into the wrong hands, you could suffer even more serious losses.
Why ‘Flipping Ads’ Is NOT a Real Business Model
As someone who earns a full-time income online, with affiliate marketing, I know this is not a real business model.
I know first hand how to make money promoting other companies’ products. Because it’s what I do for a living.
You see, real companies do not sell banner ads to people. Ever. They run their own ads or they partner with affiliates, who send sales their way in return for a commission.
So there is absolutely no question about the fact that this business model is fake.
And if you take your time to read some of the complaints about these sites online (like Banner Bit), or read either of my review above, you will get further insight into why these sites are just plain BS.
No one ever really gets paid a dime, and once you spend your hard earned money- it’s gone.
How Real People Make Real Money With Online Ads
There are a couple of real ways you can ACTUALLY make money…
Legitimate option 1 – Signup with a platform like Google Adsense for free. There are many others but this is a well known and trusted example, and one I’ve used myself. Once you’re approved, you place a special code on your site, that shows ads from many different companies.
This option pays you whenever someone clicks on your ad. How much you earn depends on your niche, the ad and a bunch of other variables. Google pays you monthly for this.
The plus side is this is absolutely legit and it’s easy to setup. The down side is you need TONS of traffic to make any real money this way.
Legitimate option 2 – Learn how to do affiliate marketing with your own website. This option is by far the most lucrative, and requires a lot less traffic. But it takes time to get your rolling and pick up enough steam to go ‘full-time’.
This option pays you when anyone who clicks on your affiliate link, buys something on the vendor page you send them to. It’s all tracked automatically and how much you earn depends entirely on the affiliate program and offer.
So these are the two main ways you can ‘make money with ads’…
And you will notice that neither of these options involves buying ads. In fact, it’s free to join sites like Adsense and most good affiliate programs are free too. So you don’t need to spend a dime to make money this way.
Although you should budget some funds for a good training course, some web hosting and a domain. And maybe a few other incidentals along the way. But you can literally bootstrap your entire business for under 50 bucks per month.
Conclusion
If you’ve been fooled into joining an ‘ad flipping’ site, you are not alone. The best thing you can do is avoid giving them any more money and/ or personal information.
You can also read this post about getting your money back from an online scam.
It is possible to earn money online, even good money over time. But sites like these are only out to make money at your expense.
Avoid ad-flipping websites at all costs.
Thanks for the warning