THY NAME IS MUD
by Theresa Cahill
All Rights Reserved
Copyright 2003


My own ezine, TheWizWorld MRC Newsletter, focuses on
the positive side of building an ebusiness. It
stresses the importance of personal name branding. It
also stresses that by helping others, we do help
ourselves - our businesses grow, our name value grows.
By displaying ones own understanding of business, it
helps others build theirs - and provides them with a
resource to turn to to ask for help, inquire about
joint ventures, and more... you.

By putting yourself out there, with positive advice,
help, products, programs, and resources, the return on
your investment in time and money comes back tenfold.
Word of mouth IS a priceless commodity.

So, it's a strange twist that this article isn't about
any of that - though the above may have lead you to
believe otherwise. Though it most definitely is about
"word of mouth."

What I'd like to cover today is the person out there
who believes that he or she can get away with
anything, rip anyone off, not be accountable for their
actions, and never get caught.

This article serves as notice to dispel that illusion.

Publishers are a huge and close knit community of
hard working individuals. We talk to each other,
assist each other, and sometimes find the need to warn
each other of potential troublemakers, cheaters,
spa*m*mers and the like.

We keep records and we pass this information along.

Just like you, publishers do not want to be the victim
of anyone's sca*m. And we have long, long memories.

We also have resources at our disposal to check out
certain individuals above and beyond our own lists of
"ruh roh!" people. And check them we do.

I know you must receive many ezines that take the time
to warn you, as an online entreprenuer, of programs
and products to avoid. Typically, the publisher
eithers knows from first hand experience or because an
alert reader, wanting to help others, writes in and
asks that publisher to share their information with
you.

This is a warning with a twist - and one that is truly
unfortunate to even have to mention - a warning
against certain individuals.

Most of us collect IP numbers, we get names, we get
email addresses, we get paypal transactions, we get
credit card information. Let's face it, we get a lot
of information about a lot of people.

While a publisher would never dream of selling any of
this - and most have disclaimers letting you know that
they would never even consider doing it - we do have
the information for our own protection. And, as an
Association of sorts, we share what is necessary to
protect each other.

Thankfully, the world is a good place, filled with
good, honest people just trying to make a living. So,
other than providing a bit of entertainment for you,
you know in your heart of hearts that this article
isn't about you.

But, it's that 0.1% that need to listen up...

For instance...

Did you know that making false credit card claims is a
Federal offense in the United States? We're talking
prison time here... it's not a joke, you can and will
get caught. And the rest of us are here to help ensure
that you do.

From false sp*am reports to outright credit card theft
and fraud, we know who's doing what, who to avoid, who
to let others know to avoid, and who to report.

So while 99.9% of us our happily and honestly building
our businesses, for that 0.1%, the net is getting
smaller and smaller and smaller.

If you don't know it yet, thy name is mud.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Theresa Cahill is working on her second decade in
marketing and offers you a copy of "Marketing Tips," 
a free, brandable ebook. Download it at:
http://www.mywizardads.com/takeone.html