Website Scams & How to Steer Clear

“We will get you on the first page of Google – Guaranteed”
This is pure BS, plain and simple. The moment you hear those words, run for the door. Nobody can guarantee anything at all like that.
“SEO has all changed – the old rules don’t apply anymore”
Sure the rules still apply. Chances are that when you hear this the person saying it simply doesn’t know what the rules are, doesn’t care, or, if they do know the rules, doesn’t want to be bothered to work with them.
“We are the only ones now who know SEO - forget everything you have known”
This bit of arrogance is typically indicative of a person who wants you to put all your trust in them. They don’t respect you or your intelligence and would love it if you begin to doubt what you do know.
We will make you # 1 for ($50, $100, $150, $200 a month (whatever they can get from you))
I am not aware of anything out there that needs constant monthly attention, or a monthly fee, except for PPC advertising. If they want you to sign up for a monthly, ongoing service, beware. For fun, ask them exactly what you get for each level. Keep bugging them for details….it is kind of fun to watch them start squirming.
“We know what you need – you don’t”
Wow. So, they know more about your business than you do? Let’s be clear, a good web developer will often have enough experience in business and what works in websites that they can coach you and help you make good, well thought out decisions. So, yes, if a developer seems knowledgeable about business, by all means take their counsel under advisement. However, if they choose to ignore your concerns, don’t listen, or don’t respond properly….drop them. You are headed for trouble.
Great salesperson – Lousy customer service
One indicator of trouble on the horizon is found all too often in the apparent disconnect between your experience with the salesperson and your experience with their Customer Service department. Often, this isn’t discovered until you are already signed up but…if you ever have a salesperson / CS situation where the two sides seem like night and day…you may have a problem.
They’re not: listening, responding, answering the phone, making changes we requested, etc.
This type of behavior is immediately indicative of at best, shoddy business. At worst, a scam operation. Run.
“We will need your domain name account and log in information.”
No, no, no…don’t do this. One of the most common scams is where a developer gains access to your domain name and then takes control of it. One local web company we know of has made loads of money by gaining access to their client’s domain name and then transferring it, maybe to a dummy account under an alias, or in one case to an account based in Australia (good luck pressuring them). When you finally get fed up with the developer and want to move…they will only allow access to your domain(that you still own!) if you pay them an additional fee, in this case $150. …for something you already own. It is theft plain and simple, maybe even qualifies as extortion. In all cases, protect your domain name and give access to nobody. The only thing a developer would need access for is to point your domain to the new server for your website. If you really, really trust them, OK. Otherwise, they can walk you through this without having access. Takes all of 5 minutes.
“Its FREE”
No its not. It never is. Read the fine print.
Sounds too good to be true.
Hate to say it but this is one area where that is truer than ever.

STEPS you can take.

Check with the local BBB.
Google the company name and the word complaints, i.e. Acme Website Development complaints
Talk to a number of clients, not just the few they give you phone numbers for.
Check out websites they say they have built. Did they really? Look in the footer for the developer information. Contact the owner of the website.
Talk to clients of the company who had their site built several years before. How is the ongoing service?