Have you ever received an email from someone you didn’t know only to find it was a penis enlargement offer? Most of us have. And the company that sent it to you has already labelled themselves as questionable – by sending unsolicited emails. Many companies used to do this, but any that still do are probably NOT the kind of company you want to do business with.

There are a number of other tell-tale indicators that can help you know weather you’re looking at a scam or not, and we’ll outline them for you here.

First of all, if you have an email you didn’t ask for, DON’T OPEN IT! Don’t click on anything in it, and most importantly, DON’T BUY THROUGH THAT EMAIL. “But I like the product” you say. If you are interested, write down the name of their website on a piece of paper, then open a new browser and type it into the address bar. This will help break the chain of spam.

Better yet, find a DIFFERENT company that offers that product, or get more information through an ‘opt in’ system – one where you have to request information by email. A ‘double opt in’ system is even safer, because they’ll first send you a confirmation email, to which you respond to confirm that you will accept information they send out to you.

Responding only to ‘opt in’ emails is a good start towards dealing with reputable, trustworthy companies. If you never click through a spam email, you’re telling the vendor “I don’t like spam”, and spammers will eventually give up spamming – what a dream THAT would be! Do your part.

Another vital tip is the guarantee. Only buy a product that offers a 100% money back guarantee, so you have recourse if you suspect the product isn’t delivering results. Companies that offer (and honour) a money back guarantee are operating by the ‘rules of fair play’, and deserve your business. The others don’t.

Avoid buying from any site that doesn’t look professional or ones where the web address sounds unprofessional. If the creators of the site don’t care to create a quality site, their marketing practices should be called into question. Bad marketing is often a clear sign of shady activity, or at least amateur efforts, which are better avoided anyway.

Check the reviews. If you can’t find more than a single site that tells about the product, chances are that it’s a new entrant into the market. The established players have a presence, and it is these companies who will honour their guarantees, avoid spamming, and provide quality products. Fly-by-night operations are in it for the fast buck. Spend a little time looking over the reviews and familiarize yourself with the major players.

Don’t get scammed! Look into what products have been around long enough to establish a history and market presence. You are far more likely to get good service from an established supplier with a history of success. Look for the bigger suppliers and avoid the unscrupulous ‘bad apple’ players that may be out for a fast buck.