In the online world there are unethical ways to make money. You did not know? Well, know that when you work online, without realizing it, these possibilities can appear before you. You may not realize it and that means you are an ethical person. However, it is a fact, there are ways to make profits aside from ethics and even almost or completely legal.
This does not mean that we endorse that you should act in this unethical way. On the contrary, we encourage you to always act ethically when you are online. The reason? Let’s see just a little of this
When you create a website, set up an ecommerce store, or do any work online, your credibility is everything. As you establish your online business reputation, it is very important that you keep it on the positive side. Unethical behavior, therefore, will make you go to the negative side and that is not good for you.
In the real world, people do business by shaking hands and looking into each other’s eyes. In the digital world, by contrast, they need to develop trust. Otherwise, they will never do business. This is where your credibility plays a leading role.
In this post we will not teach you how to make money unethically. However, we will show them to you so you know which opportunities to avoid.
Unethical ways to make money: Affiliate marketing with fake products
To begin with, you should know that affiliate marketing is a completely legal activity and a legitimate way to earn money. The problem arises when trying to direct people towards fake products or products that are not of good quality. This is an unethical practice that you should avoid at all times.
It is recommended that you thoroughly review any product before promoting it on your website or blog. At all times you must be sure that you are representing good products. If you don’t, you could have a legal claim for responsibilities related to your marketing. Remember that, even if you do not manufacture them, the responsibility for selling or recommending them is yours.
Fraudulent sale of electronic books
This is one of the unethical ways to make money that you can find online. Let’s see, the original eBooks are all those that are written by yourself. You have every right to receive money for its sale. You can do this sale yourself or commission someone else to do it.
Even if you don’t have time, you can outsource other writers to help you write your book. However, if you maintain the sales rights, you are the only one authorized to market it. Having established this, we tell you, taking any work that someone else has created and selling it without having the exclusive rights is illegal. It is copyright infringement and an unethical way to make money.
Publish third-party digital content
As with e-books, posting any other content belonging to someone else without their permission is unethical and illegal. You may not publish, sell, send as a file, or offer to download digital content owned by others.
In the vast majority of countries, this is an infringement of Copyright Law. To post someone else’s content, you must obtain written permission. The only type of content that you can publish without worry is that which is under an open source license.
Spam and keyword stuffing: Unethical ways to make money
Keyword stuffing is the technique of overusing specific words with the intention of directing users to a certain website or sales page. Now, there is nothing wrong with sending people to legitimate pages. That is, as long as the keywords are used naturally.
This is another of the unethical ways to make money. The words used in this practice are of poor quality. They are only meant to influence where people connect. It is also known as a “Black Hat” technique.
Trade in counterfeit goods
The sale of non-original products is another widespread practice today on the internet. However, buying and selling counterfeit products has become a very lucrative activity. It is also very illegal; it must be said. It is perhaps one of the most unethical ways to make money.
Legitimate companies create products that they want to promote and market online. Then other companies or individuals create other imitation products to compete with the legitimate one. This creates a clear disadvantage for the owner of the original product. Of course he suffers harm and prejudice for this unscrupulous practice.
If you are an online seller, always avoid this practice. Carefully check the authenticity of the product before promoting or selling it.
Lying to customers about offers and promotions
If you are an owner of an online business or blog, it is very likely that you already know the importance of always telling the truth. This is just one of the ethical business practices that all business owners know about.
However, not all business owners follow this rule to the letter. Sometimes they inflate the offers and quality of their products too much. What they forget is that they can get away with it once or twice, no more than that. In the end, you will be destroyed online through social media and your credibility will be lost. It is a just punishment for those who act dishonestly.
If you have an online business, be honest with people about your brand, your products, and your services. Don’t inflate an offer and tell your customers what your product actually does. Answer any question honestly. You will achieve the loyalty of your customers and you will achieve a good name. Once you lose both, it is very difficult to get them back.
Betting game
Gambling is only allowed in certain countries. There are specific laws to create an online casino or gambling site. You must know very well the laws of your location. Furthermore, bets and prizes may be subject to tax. Consequently, you must apply for and obtain a permit in order to operate gambling sites.
Unethical ways to make money: Frequent questions
Let’s see some answers to the most frequently asked questions about unethical ways to make money.
What are the penalties for lack of ethics on the internet?
There are several, but they largely depend on your location. To begin with, it is very likely that your page will be blocked. Additionally, you can be fined or go to prison.
Are there unethical but legal ways to make money on the internet?
Yes, there are. It would be unethical of us to tell you what they are. We advise you to be ethical when working on the internet.
Is it illegal to sell tobacco to minors online?
If it is. If you sell tobacco online, we recommend that you develop reliable ways to check if your customers are of legal age.