Just like there are numerous money-making businesses online, there are also a host of scams. However, how do you know what’s a scam and what isn’t? Look for these surefire signs:

1. No business plan. The ad never actually states what you’ll be doing. Online scams run mostly on smoke and mirrors, and never really tell you about the business model. You’ll notice this tactic when the ad uses lots of movies, sound, exclamation points, and weepy customer testimonials- all in an effort to distract you from the fact that there is no real business being advertised.

2. A looming deadline. Realistic business plans take years of work to implement and execute. There is no such thing as a business plan that must be purchased today and right now (unless maybe you are buying stocks). The only reason scam sites hurry you up is so that you miss some small detail of the scam- and end up paying dearly for it later.

3. Too-good-to-be-true promises. Stay-at-home moms with no job experience and barely a working computer claim to make $1000/day for part-time work. Unemployed factory workers are shown with yachts and 6,000 square foot houses. Yeah right. If it sounds too good to be true, it is. No online business will make you tons of money from the start. However, if you work hard and persevere for a few years, you can start making a decent living wage in your chosen online business.

If you see any or all of these classic signs, you can be pretty sure you have found an online scam. Steer clear of it, or better yet, report it to the Better Business Bureau.