The come-on is "start earning up to $375 per day writing for large companies."
The pitch is that writing on the web is in big demand and you can earn up to $30 per blog post, up to $200 day for proofreading, etc. Plus when you join, you get an automatic novel writer ("Just put in some simple ideas, character names and the software takes care of the rest"--does James Patterson own this software?) as well as an automatic idea generator and automatic article writer.
One of the FAQ is: "I'm not that great of a writer, can I still join?" (...of a writer?) The answer is, "Yes, certainly. These companies that want articles need for them to be written in a simple way so that everyone can understand them easily. If you can write at an 8th grade level or higher, you are qualified to start writing articles. We also have a lot of amazing tools to help you become a better writer and correct any grammar mistakes you may make in your article."
There is no person's name associated with the site, even though whoever is answering the FAQ says, "In the past I've made well over $10,000 in a month writing articles but this doesn't mean you will make as much. I worked very hard and wrote for many hours everyday (sic)." The fact that he or she doesn't know the difference between "everyday" meaning common or usual, and "every day," meaning once a day, does not bode well. The only information I could find is that they're based in Las Vegas. (Update: after I visited their website I had an automatic email from someone named Lisa Roberts, Director of Human Resources, World Survey Group, inviting me to return and get started.)
What's the cost of entry? A seven day trial period for $4.95, then a one time fee of $77 for a lifetime membership that's billed to your credit card on the 8th day. This seems to have changed--I saw some references a few months ago to a $47 per month membership fee. They do offer a sixty-day guarantee--if you send them the receipt.
I can tell you the typical process relating to this kind of thing because I've done it myself (not with these folks, however): you order the item or service, you try it out, you know you have sixty days so there's no rush to cancel. Then you see the charge appear on your credit card statement and you decide you'd like your money back. Now...where is that receipt? Did I print it out? And who do I contact for the refund? Often the address is hard to find...and inertia takes care of the rest. They have your $77 (or whatever the fee happens to be) and you may have...nothing.
Or am I jumping to conclusions with this one? I used a Google search to find reviews and included the word "scam." What I found was a lot of articles that were in fact thinly-disguised promotions of the site, many of them very similar in not only content but wording.
Here's an idea: if you want to keep legitimate reviews off the first pages of Google search results, generate dozens of blogs that hype the product in question under the guise of legitimate reviews. Just an thought.
Why would so many people be interested in promoting this site? Here's a clue: "75% Commission With Super High Signup Ratio Due To Low $4.95 Trial Price & We Rebill $77 More After 7 Days! Plus, We Keep Emailing All Interested Users With Your Affiliate Link In The Emails To Make Sure You Get Credit!"
They reveal they get between a 3% and 4% conversion--meaning that for every 100 people they target, 3 or 4 sign up at least for the trial.
Bottom line: is this legitimate? So far I've not found any evidence that it's an out and out scam, but all the warning signs are there. If you do try this one or anything similar print out your receipt and also save it on your computer, save the contact details, which often are easier to find in the offer than afterward, and make a note on your calendar when you will be charged or when the guarantee runs out.
