Duped: The Dark Side of Online Business

Apr 14 2024 87

Duped: The Dark Side of Online Business Podcast artwork

If you’ve ever felt like you’ve been duped by a celebrity entrepreneur or coach, or watched with wonderment as people do downright dirty things to grow their business online, this is the show for you. When it comes to starting and growing a business online, there’s no denying the appeal of a flexible, freedom-filled life where you can make more money than you ever imagined. But behind the glossy images on Instagram and big promises, there’s a dark side. In Duped, your hosts Dr. Michelle Mazur and Maggie Patterson do a deep dive into everything that’s wrong with the online business world. From scammy life coaches to sleazy sales practices to cult and MLM style tactics we talk about all of it. You’ll learn what to watch for as a consumer so you can protect yourself from falling prey to these tricks and tactics.

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How To Read a Sales Page (Part 2)

Apr 14 2024 56 mins

Sales pages are designed to make us buy. But if the way they’re done is scammy or deceptive, should we really buy from them at all? In part one of this two-part series on sales pages, we covered program promises, pain points, and the solution. But there’s way more you need to watch for, so in this episode, we’re digging into FAQs, bonus stacks and more. We discuss: Why lon

The Bundle Breakdown: What Consumers Need to Know Before Buying

Mar 31 2024 50 mins

Business bundles seem to be everywhere these days, leaving everyone wondering if these are actually a good deal and they should jump on the bundle train. Sure, they often seem like a total steal, but if the bundle doesn’t actually bring YOU any value, the fact that the price was “reasonable” is irrelevant. How can you tell if a business bundle is worth the price or if you s

How to Read a Sales Page Part One

Mar 17 2024 61 mins

If there’s one place on the internet it’s all too easy to get tripped up and make an impulsive decision, it’s sales pages. Yes, sales pages are designed to draw you in and pique your interest, but in many cases, these pages are cross the line from persuasion to straight-up manipulation. So how do you spot the red flags? In part one of this two-part series on sales pages, we

The State of “Ethical” Business 2024

Mar 03 2024 55 mins

Is the state of ethical business actually improving in 2024? Are we actually making some progress? Well, it’s a good news/bad news kind of story. The good is that we’re finally starting to see more and more people reject the status quo business practices, including manipulative marketing and scammy sales practices. The bad is that this industry is very fickle, and while it’s

Friend or Foe? Understanding Parasocial Relationships in Marketing

Feb 18 2024 63 mins

In a world where we’re connected to people across the globe, it’s nearly impossible for us NOT to create parasocial relationships. If you publish content or have an audience filled with people you don’t know personally, you create parasocial relationships. And that’s totally fine The trouble starts with ensuring everyone understands that we’re in these relationships and t

Payment Pitfalls: Navigating Guarantees, Refunds, and T&Cs

Feb 04 2024 39 mins

You’re excited about signing up for a new program, and you’re just about to check out, then you decide to read the terms and conditions…but maybe they’re super long and you’re in a rush. Fast forward three weeks later and you realize this was a terrible choice and the program is hot garbage. So, what now? In this episode, we’re looking at the fine print of T&Cs, guar

January Patreon Teaser

Jan 28 2024 8 mins

This week we’re giving you a little teaser of what’s going on over the Duped Patreon. Our January episode offered a grab bag of topics as we dove into all the things happening in cults, documentaries, and online business. In this teaser, we discuss the current conversation about "degrowth" and our feelings on the matter. Want to hear the rest of the conversation? Join the Patr

Behind the Curtain: Decoding Deceptive Tactics in Summits and JVs

Jan 21 2024 57 mins

Affiliates, JVs, and Summits…oh my! These collaborations can be spectacular for sales and growing an audience, but they also have a dark side that can take advantage of business owners and ultimately lead to getting Duped In this episode, we’re diving into the HIGHLY nuanced topic of summits and JVs and decoding deceptive tactics that can leave you holding the bag. For detaile

Manipulating Minds: The Need to Know About NLP

Jan 07 2024 46 mins

Have you heard of something called neurolinguistic programming or NLP? It’s everywhere in online business, but no one seems to be able to explain what it is or why we use it. In this episode, we tackle everything from its controversial history to its widespread online influence to answer the question: are you being manipulated by NLP? And would you even know if you were? For det

Schemes on Your Screens: A 2023 Recap and 2024 Predictions

Dec 17 2023 63 mins

As 2023 comes to a close, we wanted to reflect on the year that was and make some predictions about what lies ahead in 2024. For detailed show notes and links to everything mentioned in this episode, please visit duped.online. For more Duped, including monthly bonus episodes, join the Patreon.