The internet has transformed the way we work, socialise, shop and bank. But with these modern-day conveniences come more dangers to your finances. With new routes to rip off unwitting users, the internet is teeming with fraudulent websites set up to steal your money.

One way to do this is by tricking you into thinking that you can make money quickly and easily at the touch of a button. By offering strategies and platforms for earning a passive income fast, these website scams play on the fundamental human desire for economic security – particularly among users who are already struggling with their finances.

We are currently working with investigation partner Cybertrace to investigate a fraudulent operation that used the domain click2sell.co, which we suspect is linked to newer scams known as CPLOne and AdsSupply. While this particular scam operation appears to have wrapped up, the cyber criminals responsible have yet to repay their investors.

Below, we look at how the click2sell.co scam lured in its victims, the red flags it failed to hide and what you can do if you’ve been a target of similar online fraud.

How It Worked

Click2sell.co promised users they could turn a profit by running successful marketing campaigns, even without any previous experience. With a very similar name to legitimate companies such as click2sell.com, it’s easy to see why so many people were coaxed into believing this was a valid business. Yet when victims attempted to withdraw money, they were unable to do so.

Note that while users were required to sign a contract that essentially waived their rights, these contracts are now void thanks to the fact that criminal law presides over civil law.

The Red Flags

Unfortunately, we’ve come across many fraudulent websites just like this, which are dummy platforms for sophisticated scams. However, although such a website can appear legitimate, there were certain red flags to suggest an online scam was in action.

Firstly, click2sell.co made no reference to any staff members or company owners. If a business is completely faceless, you should question why this is the case. While click2sell.co operates under the registered company Click2sell Limited, know that official registration does not make an investment safe. Instead of being run from UK call centres as they claimed, these fraudsters operate out of various countries around the world.

Additionally, the website didn’t promote any means for other businesses to become their client. If it truly was an effective marketing platform, it’s reasonable to assume that they would be advertising their offerings and trying to get established companies to join their service.

Lastly, it’s important to take time to really consider the business model at hand. Whilst affiliate advertising is a valid type of marketing and some specialists can indeed earn an income from it, could a person with absolutely no industry experience actually grow their wealth by managing ads for other businesses? And would these companies really trust such individuals to do it properly? The promise behind this platform just does not add up.

Beware AdsSupply & CPL One

Previously operating under names such as BannerBit and ClicksDealer, there is evidence to suggest that the click2sell.co scam has now been rebranded as cplone.com and ads-supply.com.

If you come across either of these so-called companies, we strongly advise you to avoid engaging with them in any way no matter how professional and legit the websites may seem. It is highly likely that these scams are being run by the same cyber criminals as click2sell.co.

What To Do If You’ve Fallen Victim To An Online Scam

Were you scammed by click2sell.co or a similar scam? To recover your assets, you’ll first need to identify the culprit behind the crime. Please contact the investigators at IFW Global today to learn more about how we can help.