Shaun Smith Scam
A friend came around to see me today with her laptop.
“I wanted to try and make money online like you so I’ve bought this course ‘£700 in a day‘ by Shaun Smith but I think its a scam, can you take a look.”
£700 in a Day is the type of course I hate. It’s sole purpose is to get the newbie to part with their money and its why so many people fail online.
It’s owner and marketer – Shaun Smith from Birmingham in the UK – like most successful dream sellers is good at his job. His sales pitch pulls all the right strings but the reality is he’s selling nothing more than a fantasy to the buyer.
The alarm bells rang when I checked and found he hadn’t sold it through the Clickbank gateway which would have made it easy enough to get a refund if my friends gut feeling turns out to be correct and £700 in a day is nothing more than rubbish.
He almost certainly didn’t use Clickbank because he knows the refund rate is going to be sky high. Clickbank ensure customers can purchase info products with confidence because by offering a full 60 day refund they make it very easy to get your money back should you not be happy with your purchase.
£700 In a Day Review
I check out the video on keyword research and if it hadn’t cost £57 I would have been laughing.
In the video Shaun does a search for ‘shaun smith blogger’ and then brags to his audience when the results show his blog in the top result. Where exactly did you think it would be?
Google is clever enough nowadays to know that someone searching for that phrase is looking for the persons blog.
His next example search term is ‘shaun smith online marketer’ and again he brags how his blog is number 1 and 2 from 2,380,000 results.
Here’s where it gets practically criminal as far as I’m concerned though. He tells his viewer that those 2,380,000 results are actually the number of people searching for that term rather than explaining that the number refers to how many results Google found in its database.
It’s this that rang alarm bells for my friend who is a complete novice but still knew those numbers represented results, not search traffic.
He goes on to say how easy it would be to just get a few of those 2 million odd visitors to click on his Adsense ads and make him money.
The actual number of people searching for that term according to Google? I checked and Google’s keyword tool says “not enough data” which means less than 10 per month. Even Frank Kern couldn’t make money from that traffic!
I contacted Shaun about a refund as I’m sure many others before have and was told no refunds are given with the caveat:
“However, we are prepared to offer a refund under our terms. This will be available within 60 days from the date that you received the download, providing no money has been made and you operate the system following the step by step instructions and furnish us with the proof of what you have done to date. If this information isn’t available, we regret, that no refund will be available. If you miss use the system or your account is closed for any reason no refund will be available.”
Very clever – Note the “providing no money has been made” bit. Forget the £700 a day promise, he’s saying even if you get 1 Adsense click and make a few pennies you won’t get a refund!
Shaun Smith used Click2Sell which seems to be some Clickbank wannabee based in Europe who told me (surprise surprise) that they cannot (won’t) issue a refund.
I have told her to contact her credit card company and ask them to start a charge back and let them sort it out. The product is clearly not as described so it should be simple enough.
How to avoid scams like this.
As already said, reputable marketers use Paypal and Clickbank. If it doesn’t then ask yourself why?
These people get your interest by selling a dream, not a business model. They are usually experts at copy writing and draw you in with subliminal messages woven into their sales letter. Its human nature to buy into these dreams. Remember the old adage though – if it sounds too good to be true it probably is!
The internet is full of products like this. People buy into the dream of getting rich quick but soon become disillusioned and give up after a month or two proclaiming it’s impossible to make money online.
It’s not, you just have to be very choosy about who you listen to.
If you are new to internet marketing and found this post searching for “Shaun Smith” “Shaun Smith scam” or “£700 in a Day review” then do yourself a favour and put the credit card away.
March 13th, 2010 at 8:48 am
Thank goodness I found this review… have been emailing Shaun Smith to see if I could get a review copy, or some mentorship for free, to get no replies (probably as I let slip I’ve got no money!).
On the verge of scraping up to £50-odd quid and purchasing it, this review has totally changed my mind and saved me money.
The seach for a mentor who has really ‘made it’ without scamming peopl, goes on!
April 2nd, 2010 at 1:54 pm
I purchased 700inaday and don’t advise to anyone to do that.The program is total rubbish.Shaun Smith is 100% scam
April 4th, 2010 at 8:58 pm
I have purchased this system and i agree with your comments. Complete waste of time, stay clear.
April 6th, 2010 at 4:43 pm
i have been following what shaun smith has said for a couple of weeks now and i have not made loads of money but ive made some so i know it works. you just have to get lots and lots of traffic to your blog
April 9th, 2010 at 11:24 am
Am so glad that I didn’t buy it. What I do now when I get them emails about amazing products, I google them and find out what people are saying and I also email the owners and in most cases they is no reply.
April 16th, 2010 at 5:41 pm
thank all of you i was almost buying the product!! i wander there is any real possibility to make same honest money on the internet?
April 18th, 2010 at 5:20 pm
All money making systems online are a complete waste of time.
If you go to the 700inaday.com website and read it, it looks very pleasing and it sounds too good to be true. Once you purchase from sites like this, you realize you’ve just burnt a whole in your pocket and even if you try and try, you won’t make money online the way they tell you.
The online world is turning into a scam. If you want to become rich and make money, you can do it like this:
- Get a good eduction and get a good job
- Start your own business on the high street
- Open up a website and sell advertising space
- Win the lottery
etc etc…
I’ve been trying online for 2 years to make money online and all I be bombarded with is people saying try this try thay, its just a complete waste and a big headache.
April 25th, 2010 at 6:37 pm
I bought this system and was amazed how easy it was to set up. It is basic, but Ideal for newbies. I followed the step by step videos and I’m making money from the techniques. Not sure what the problem is with these other people. But I’ve always found Shaun on the end of the phone. Can’t say that about many other websites!
May 11th, 2010 at 8:37 pm
How can these people get away with stealing!? Its just not on! Is there nothing that can be done? These people really pee me off! Not that i bought into this but still its a p**s take. Grrr..
May 17th, 2010 at 11:48 am
Thank you ever so much i am so glad i found this site, i was about 5 minutes away from purchasing,
cheers
mel
May 18th, 2010 at 10:05 pm
Is this the same system as promoted by Peter Lexis? I think his is called automated online incomes or some such. He charges £56 and uses the same payment site as Shan Smith. I found myself here whilst I was Googling the former and so far have not been convinced by either of the sales copy ’cause they look too good. I assume they are affiliate systems. I ‘m pleased I dropped by!
May 20th, 2010 at 10:28 am
Excellent article – thanks. I wont be lining Shaun smiths pockets any more! I also have bought a couple of his “make money” systems including the 700 in a day system and I can agree that it is total rubbish. I have also discovered his fraudulent past – read this article – http://www.bizoppsblog.com/422/a-couple-of-things-that-worry-me-about-shaun-smith-and-yournetbiz/#comment-54558
May 25th, 2010 at 5:43 pm
i have studied hundreds of mail similar to” shaun smith “and to be fair his advert is one of many, all with even bigger promises than the last, all with a financially suductive story. these adverts are more or less all the same story “look at me i was a cleaner etc etc, and now hey presto i am earning 15.000& plus per month or minute! working a half hour per week!! the asking price for this “incredible “information is done very cleverly, not too much, eg 67$ here 27& there never an amount that will scare people, so one is lured into thinking, well its not much to see if it works?. i am sure they work for someone just the same as saying one can walk to china, it is possible! that said i am sure there are ways of making money even a decent living(not fortunes) anyone found this yet?
May 26th, 2010 at 4:34 pm
Thank god I’ve found this review because Im getting constant emails shaun smith telling me to buy his system and no way im gonna give my money to that filthy scam artist.
June 6th, 2010 at 4:28 pm
F*ck Shaun the piece of sh*t. Any way we can clean this piece of filth from the internet?
June 9th, 2010 at 12:05 pm
Is this legal what this guy is doing? should he not be reported to the OFT?
I know if i tell one off my customers a lie about a product, they would be paying me a visit.
July 13th, 2010 at 2:05 pm
Hi, getting the same from Shaun…bombarded with the ususal…buy now, only a few places left etc.
If all this stuff is so good, then why not keep it to yourself, I would.
Another two guys who send regularly are Tim Lowe and Andrew Reynolds, although I cannot find anything suspect about them.
Anyone any ideas?
Thanks
B
July 21st, 2010 at 8:03 pm
100% Agreed. Shaun Smith is full of BS.
August 20th, 2010 at 2:41 am
i am making 700 pounds a day with his course. am i really? fuk am i? i was robbed out of 57 pounds and havent made a single penny.
August 26th, 2010 at 2:39 am
The whole thing is wierd man. About 2 years ago, Shaun heavily promoted YourNetBiz and kept emailing people saying this is the answer to becoming rich. Then, after this had faded out a bit, 700inaday gets heavily promoted in his email marketing and he claimed that this was the answer to complete financial freedom.
Next, there’s howtomarketexperts. He claims to teach us how to make up to £70,000 a month. Why does he keep giving and making the programmes if the previous one’s should have worked?
Then, there comes some Lazylistbuilding that he made with Ben Hulme. I don’t really know much about this, so I can’t comment.
Furthremore, there’s imdemons. He claims he will make us rich and can make us a millionaire. This is bullshit. Why did he make this programme if his 700inaday should have been the answer to financial success like he claimed?
Then, there’s his 4inonesystem training course where it’s a fast track 12 week programme. This is actually okay, because I’ve heard from a friend. This 4inonesystem thing he has now is actually probably the best course of Shauns. But, you won’t make the money he claims obviously. You’ll learn some good marketing.
Then, he’s always emailing about some stupid shopping genie and lots and lots of emails are about him promoting Clickbank products saying stuff like check this out you’ll get rich with this.
To add insult to injury, after purchasing any of Shauns courses like 700inaday, he’ll still follow you up saying purchase this and purchase that to make it better. It’s bullshit.
Overall, avoid. His 4inonesystem Fast Track is probably the best. Again, it’s still false hope, but it’s better than anything he sells.
Do you see what he’s doing? He’s only making all the money he claims through OUR purchases. He goes from one programme to another and we purchase making him money. His 700inaday, he doesn’t even do that and he doesn’t make 700 pounds per day. He doesn’t do any of the courses he sells us apart from his 12 week fast track. He admits to us, build a list, promote products etc.
Hope this helps anyone out in anyway possible.
September 8th, 2010 at 3:01 pm
I purchased one of shauns systems several months ago and i can’t remember the name of it but it was a website with 10 how to videos on it about making money blogging. Now i admit i was taken in by the sales page and haven’t made anything like what he claims but it did give me the push that i needed to get satrted doing what i’ve wanted to do for a long time and thats making some money from the internet.. The videos were of good value to me but only because i was a total newbie and didn’t know a thing about internet marketing. I’d have to say now that i wouldn’t buy one of his systems because you can get all the information that he gives you for free but it worked for me.
September 21st, 2010 at 7:25 pm
Shaun Smith is a convicted conman. In 2001, he was sentenced to jail for conning millions out of single mothers, low income families and other vulnerable people with a work from home scam. HOW he is allowed to sell on the internet with a conviction like that is just beyond me. If you read the BBC report below, you’ll see he even took pride in the fact he was cheating people out of money, keeping notes in a book he called “scam of the year”. Lowest of the low.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/1630366.stm
January 29th, 2011 at 6:01 pm
i have been recieving emails of this shaun smith now for a couple of months promising me that i can make money on line and i have been really tempted especially since i lost my job i am so pleased i see this post i am so fed up with con artists conning money out of people just looking for away to make money to make endsmeet in this time of recession it takes the p**s it’s fraud and he should be done for fraud like anyone else would be if caught defruading
July 20th, 2011 at 3:07 pm
l bought 700 in a day and didnt make a single dime,then he convinced to join his mentoring programme,after blowing over $2500 and lm poorer than lve ever been ,l thought this was a golden opportunity since l had lost my job,all he ever did was scam with affliate products,super scammer
August 13th, 2011 at 8:00 am
Would this be the same shaun smith from Wolverhampton that was done for home working fraud in 2001? Google it
August 26th, 2011 at 12:33 pm
I purchased £700 a day several years ago, I would say that it is a very genuine product and very simple and it works, but you have to also! The principles Shaun talks about all work, it just takes time like any off line business. I wonder how many people who have made the critical comments, have actually put Shauns system into action? If you are adding genuine content to your blog regularly, Google will find you.
Also, please be careful about criticising peoples past, many of us have made big mistakes in our life, I have always found Shaun to be very contactable and helpful, whether by phone or email.
I would recommend £700 a day, but please take action and do what the product says and you will earn money!
September 1st, 2011 at 4:06 pm
What a scam
September 16th, 2011 at 2:43 am
I completely agree with you about Shaun Smith. I purchased his £97 fast track course last year and it accidentally got deleted, so i asked for them to be resent. No reply. I asked him again and he calls me a moron and says it was my fault.
He won’t even try and help you at all.
On his 700inaday site, someone has a testimonial saying thanks for resending me the videos… it’s certainly fake as Shaun will not give a shit about anything except taking your money.
Beware, his testimonials are fake. He can’t prove them and he has written them himself. He will keep ignoring your emails.
I also invested in his Stealth Traffic Formula and a week later, I wanted a bit of help. What happens? It’s been 1 year later and I’m still waiting for his damn reply.
Him and Stepsys are both the same.
Avoid these like the plague and don’t send them any of your money.
As for Property Wika being branded a scam, I don’t know about it so I can’t comment. Shaun used this to his advantage. In his email that he sent out about this being a scam, he said if you are looking for a real opporunity, check out his site… And he directed us to his crappy site filled with his scam opportunities.
Shaun sounds all nice and kind in his emails and videos. But, behind the scenes, he’s a scumbag. He won’t give a damn about anything except his earnings.
If everyone just done their research before buying from him, then he’ll be out of business and he’ll be crying to the job centre. If he aint getting sales, he aint making money.
He’s a well know scammer on scam.com, thatsnonsense and many rip off sites. He was in jail recently for conning people at home. What does that tell you about him?
Simple… Avoid!
October 19th, 2011 at 5:47 pm
I linked to your site and this report by a search in Google. There was a link on About.com to this other offer from Shaun Smith asking £20 making money ideas, working from home. I wondered if anybody had paid for this offer/scam.
October 27th, 2011 at 11:50 am
Wish I’d read this before I spent £20 on one of his scams. Whilst he has offered a refund he is one of the most unprofessional people I have had the displeasure of speaking to. His video was economical with the truth saying you could earn up to £200 a day by clicking adverts. I asked him if it was true and he said of course else he wouldn’t be selling it. The scheme only pays out at $1000 and the free scheme only gives you 6 ads a day to click on ($12 a day). So to make any real money you need to spend 83 days. Not worried about the £20 just feel like a prat.
November 17th, 2011 at 11:02 pm
This cu~t sucked me in has anyone else signed up to zeekler im trying to get out but i cant see where to do it can anyone advise me people like this should be shot
November 18th, 2011 at 3:57 am
The amount of attitude he shows in his emails is unbelievable. If you ask for help, he won’t reply. If you send him an email again, he gets angry and puts exclamation marks at the end of his sentence.
he’s pathetic. he doesn’t offer full help & support with his products as claims. he offers full bullshit and attitude.
April 15th, 2012 at 3:06 pm
I purchased the 700inaday program two years ago and ofcause being new to the ” making money on the internet schemes ” i was pulled in by the sales page and was quick to pay the £57 price tag or however much it cost.. I was making regular updates daily using the techniques shown on shauns training videos on his website. the only thing i didnt do is pay for a website address but even so i never made a penny. Absolute scam and i cant beleive he still makes these programs, he needs to be stopped.