Google #1 Ranking – A Broken Promise

For many, the Internet has replaced the directories of old as the preferred tool in looking up just about anything. Googling it has become the norm for any information you might want to know, and businesses are more than eager to take advantage of this. And what better way than to appear as the top-ranking, or #1 search result for your business category. Being #1 definitely has its benefits: your business is the first to be seen, and consequently be the first to be considered by the searcher, if not the chosen one.

Unfortunately, scammers are just as intent in taking advantage of the opportunity to prey on clueless business owners.

A number one ranking in Google is not impossible to attain. In fact, for any given keyword, it is very possible to attain.

But it is impossible to guarantee.

This is because no one outside of Google knows the Google search algorithm. It is extremely complex, and changes frequently.

Even Google advises: “Don’t feel obligated to purchase a search engine optimization service. Some companies claim to “guarantee” high ranking for your site in Google’s search results. While legitimate consulting firms can improve your site’s flow and content, others employ deceptive tactics in an attempt to fool search engines. Be careful; if your domain is affiliated with one of these deceptive services, it could be banned from our index.”

So instead of relying on this misleading service, focus on making your website more search engine – optimized that will increase your business’ chances of being found. Click on the link below to find out more: http://www.google.com/support/webmasters/bin/answer.py?answer=40349&cbid=-1fwhgs3r2rcj5&src=cb&lev=answer.

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The March Group is a leading mergers and acquisitions advisory firm dedicated to the middle market. 

The Grandparent Scam

The March Group has learned about another danger business owners from the baby boom generation are likely to be at risk for, and we’re not talking about the already well-documented health hazards among those in the golden years set. It has become known as the “Grandparent Scam,” where grandparents are the target of a plot to swindle money off of them. These scammers, posing as the grandchildren, would make a disgruntled phone call and pretend to be in some form of trouble: being in jail, or being involved in an accident, where it is necessary to make immediate payments to post bail or for other services such as for legal or medical fees. The scammers would plead and pressure the grandparent to not tell their parents about it, and immediately send the money, commonly through wire transfer. Knowing how grandparents can be overly doting on their grandchildren, this appeal to emotion works easily and almost every time. Before they know it, the grandparent has been swindled out of their hard-saved dollar.

According to the Better Business Bureau (BBB), the scam has targeted individuals in Connecticut, Iowa, Idaho, Kentucky, Utah, Wisconsin, Massachusetts, Missouri,  Nebraska, Texas, Washington, West Virginia and Canada including residents of British Columbia and Manitoba.

The March Group advises that when receiving calls like this, it is important to be vigilant about ensuring that the person on the other end of the line is indeed the person he says he is. Some tips:

• Never be the one to volunteer your grandchild’s name. Many are fooled into thinking that because the caller’s voice sounds familiar, the person is automatically who the grandparent thinks he/she is.
• Panic can sweep you away upon hearing the “trouble” your grandchild is in. Having read this and keeping in mind the possibility of getting scammed yourself, ask a question about your grandchild that will prove it is really him/her. Ask for the middle name, or the school he goes to.
• If you realize you have been a victim of this scam, immediately report the incident to the local police and the state Attorneys General office.

Avoid a scam today by subscribing to The March Group Scam Blog.

The March Group is a leading mergers and acquisitions advisory firm dedicated to the middle market.

The March Group Warns of Poetry Scam

For many aspiring poets, the chance to have their work published under their byline would be a dream come true, and with the Internet’s ubiquity, this has become more readily realized. But the chance for their work to be on actual paper is a thrill like no other. And so the premise begins for poetry scam contests online.

These scammers often seem legitimate, with well-designed websites and sensible addresses listed on their webpage that can take away any doubt you might have.

You simply submit your poem to the website, and after some time, you get an email from them saying:

“Congratulations! Your entry has been selected as a semi-finalist. We would like to include your poem in a published anthology.”

Isn’t that exciting? This is the chance you have been waiting for. Then, as you read along, you notice the conditions to complete this dream:

“For a copy of this anthology, please send $49.95 plus $4.95 for shipping and handling. For an additional $20, we can add your biography to your poem.”

There are even more come-ons:

• You can have your poem mounted on a plaque.
• You can purchase an audio book of the anthology where a professional reader has recorded your poem.
• You can even join an association of poets — for a fee.
• It may even go as far as inviting you to an awarding ceremony where you will meet other winners from different parts of the world for the price of $475 plus travel expenses.

Overwhelmed with delight with the prospect of seeing your name and work published, you purchase one or several of the offer, until it’s too late to find out it was just a hoax all along.

The March Group suggests being vigilant against fraudulent sites that invite you to send money, download a program, or asks for your personal information. It pays to be extra careful about contests like this. To protect yourself from being scammed, research on the organization behind the poetry contest. If it’s being published that you are really after, submit your work to reputable editors and publications.

Avoid a scam today by subscribing to The March Group Scam Blog.

The March Group is a leading mergers and acqusitions advisory firm dedicated to the middle market.