Everyone believes they are intelligent enough to recognize a bogus online agency, (Fake Online Agencies) but fraudsters are growing more innovative by the day.
Madbird, a posh digital design firm, was the subject of a horrific BBC exposé. The ‘business’ included more than 50 remote workers. However, within the first six months, the majority were employed commission-only.
However, after a few months, the newly recruited workers discovered that many online colleagues were fake. Moreover, they wouldn’t be paid since no project agreements had been fulfilled, and the entrepreneur was a compulsive liar who constructed his whole internet identity.
That’s insane! Here’s how to prevent these fraudulent distant agencies from taking advantage of.
Trust Your Gut Feelings
Consider the following company:
- have years of business experience
- There is a wide range of services accessible.
- Results are promised in a relatively short period of time.
- Quality customer assistance is accessible 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
- Charges that are below-average
Does it Seem to be Too Wonderful to be True? Isn’t it likely?
Every corporation worth its salt takes pride and pleasure in its job.
It will not be able to provide all services. Instead, it will provide specialized services. Why? Because it understands its own capabilities and will not allow poor work to tarnish its image.
These businesses will tell you how long it will take to see substantial benefits.
They understand the value they provide and will not be cheap.
When you feel that there is a catch, go with your instincts.
It makes no difference whether your instincts are erroneous. There are enough other fish to go around (Fake Online Agencies).
However, you may avoid wasting your hard-earned money if they are correct.
Search up the Location of the Company’s Office.
These Fake Online Agencies are no longer using a P.O.Instead of an actual address, and many Fake Online Agencies businesses now employ a P.O. box or another postal method.
They now proudly show a verifiable address for their office to seem more genuine. It makes sense since most individuals will not bother to double-check the address. If it is mentioned, it must be true.
Wrong! It is critical to remember the workplace address. This is how Madbird’s employee learned about the hoax.
She was curious to see how the epidemic would affect the commute. After Google Street View revealed simply a block of apartments, alarm bells sounded in her thoughts. This was hardly the stylish office shown on Madbird’s website.
She quickly phoned a realtor who also had a property at that location to corroborate her thoughts. Madbird’s global headquarters was entirely residential.
Conduct a Reverse Image Search
Do you recall being wowed by an agency’s digital portfolio? I hate to say it, However it might have been taken from another website.
To find out whether the work belongs to the agency, do a reverse Google Image search online.
- This will assist you in locating:
- The URL where the photograph was initially released
- Other websites where the picture was shown
Images of a Similar Kind
It is simple to complete and takes a few seconds. You need to complete the following:
- Launch your browser on your Mac or P.C.
- Naviga te to the Google Images home page.
- Click the camera symbol in the search bar.
- You may either copy the image’s URL or upload it from your computer.
You will now be able to establish whether or not the agency owns the work.
This approach may also be used to determine whether or not staff at the agency are genuine.
Copy and paste the URL of their headshot picture into the search box to check if any comparable photographs emerge.
Get in Touch with Their Customers
It’s now a popular marketing approach to feature positive testimonials on a website homepage.
This promotes trust. This fosters trust.
It isn’t. Why? These testimonies are readily falsifiable.
Download a stock picture of a guy or female, remark on the agency, and compliment it, and you’re done! You now have a “true” testimonial.
Contact testimonies to confirm an agency’s legitimacy.
By examining their LinkedIn profiles or websites, you may ask them about their agency experience.
If there are no testimonials on a Site, contact the agency for information on previous customers.
Fake Online Agencies often use the pretext of “breach of privacy” to legitimize their operations.
Genuine businesses will not be shy about sharing their success stories.
Check the Domain Authority
Fake Online Agencies/ Fake internet businesses will have fake websites. A fake website will have a low domain authority (DA).
- Moz developed DA, which is a search engine ranking score. It is extensively used to determine the likelihood of a website ranking in search engine result pages.
- It demonstrates how search engines like Google may trust websites.
- The DA of a freshly launched website will be 1. Facebook has a DA of 100.
- To prevent falling for fraud, choose online firms with at least 30+ DA.
- Is it safe to assume that a website with more than 30 DA is always secure? No.
- Is it conceivable for websites with a DA of less than 30 to be fake? No.
- Why is a DA agency with more than 30 years of experience more trustworthy? To reach 30, you must put in a lot of effort and time.
These folks, I believe, lack patience and dedication.