COME CELEBRATE WITH US!

Happpy Happpy 2nd Anniversary!

Another year, Another reason to celebrate!

DREAM BIG … Till it bursts!!

If they couldn't find hosting from 2013 till 2025, well … 

no comments.

Go in with your eyes WIDE Open.

Seasoned owners and surfers know a scam when they see one!

Newbies need to be careful.  

If there is one thing, the world shares - it is financial trouble.
Remember, it is your hard earned money.

Stay safe, friends!

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Feb 22nd 2025 at 1:14 PM by Steve Smith That is a very valued point Mona be careful everyone alarm bells are showing

Feb 22nd 2025 at 1:47 PM by Clare Bowen Ahhh, it's a karma chameleon lol. I knew the name was familiar......

Check out the EXIT Plan

Love the EXIT Plan. 

Dear Promoters,
Are you still promoting?

Best wishes

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Feb 20th 2025 at 3:30 PM by Valerie Feral Good evening, I thought this name meant something to me, so here it is, it's up to you to judge: https://web.archive.org/web/20250000000000*/http://cashcowtraffic.com/

Feb 20th 2025 at 11:21 PM by Mona Menezes Yes, Valerie, i posted this link in my first post on this site. https://easyonlineadvertising.com/myprofile.php?uid=343&postid=600

How to spot some RED FLAGS before joining a TE?  

Dear Readers,

It is very easy to get swayed by earning easy money.

And, I am also very easily attracted to this.

And, I end up losing money.

Therefore, i have identified some ways 
to spot Red Flags, that have helped me stay away from being scammed.

I would like to share them with you.

My basic checks.

1.  Site Ownership - If the site belongs to an unknown owner.

   I check the domain history to see if there are any Red Flags.

   There are many domain history checker sites 
   (you can do a basic search in google) out there. 
   Additionally, I also ask around.

   If i find that the domain is not new (more than 2 years old) then i use

   Archive.org to see the history of the site.

    

2. Surfer Rewards - Over the top surfer rewards is a Red Flag for me.

As an example, please take 5 minutes out of your day and 
check the domain history of https://cashcowtraffic.com/

Once you reach the calendar,
Click on the skyscrapers to see screen captures of the URL.
Let me know in comments what you discover.

Making an informed decision is 100 times better than 
following blindly.
Nothing wrong in joining for the traffic.

Also, I wouldnt be surprised if some promoters say they got paid etc.,
after i make this post.  Am not concerned about the 10% that get paid.

It is the 90% that get scammed and leave this industry, that am concerned about.

Happy Valentine's Day! Stay Safe Online! 

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Feb 14th 2025 at 11:02 PM by Brigita Miklos I was thinking about joining but after this I definitely won't, although I was suspicious of the high rewards. Thanks Mona for the warning

Feb 15th 2025 at 2:12 AM by Clare Bowen Hi Mona and Brigita :-) Very important post Mona, and I'm grateful for it. As a community we need people to look out for others in the community. It's all very well for those that can afford to lose to a scam site, but unfortunately, there are many who can't. Those that can afford it can promote a site despite the red flags with the thinking only of what they can lose. They tend I think to forget that when others, especially less experienced surfers see their ads, they think it must be an okay site to join, spend time on, and possibly money. Other red flags are an inefficient support desk or no response to support tickets. I have sent a ticket to the owner of the site you mention for example and thus far had no response. And a big one for me, is that you can usually tell the motives of an owner by the type of info they add and more importantly, what they don't add. If someone really wants their members to earn for example, they would have thought properly about how they will pay them, minimum payouts etc. The absence of this type of information is a huge red flag IMO. Though, of course, the presence of these two thing is no guarantee either, the red flags are what we're looking for.

Feb 20th 2025 at 6:59 AM by Mona Menezes Hi Brigs ... If he is paying, please surf and clean him out!! Just dont invest! Take care, my friend :)

Feb 20th 2025 at 7:02 AM by Mona Menezes Dear Clare, the site was there in 2005, disappeared! Again in 2009, disappeared! and probably after that too. 2025, paying these obscene surfing rewards! Ok, surfers should go for it, just saying they shouldnt invest!!! Probably he won the lottery and wants to share it! Best wishes

Feb 20th 2025 at 7:55 AM by Clare Bowen Yes, going in with eyes wide open is fine. I've surfed several sites for the credits alone even when the red flags are hitting me around the head lol. And if you can take good rewards without investing, why not? I stand firm on my position about promoting responsibly though. I never promote red flag sites and sometimes I wish I could stop them being promoted here. But you, know, until there's evidence of a scam, it can't be called one :-)

Roses are red, Violets are blue, 
our balloons are hot and so are you 😍😍😍

Come on over and enjoy some special treats!

MoT's UPDATED FAQ AS OF 6 FEB 2025

Such is the standard of this industry, that admins or owners
can change their FAQ's at the drop of the hat.

The FAQ's on the outside of the site 
are different from when you are logged in.

FAQ External View
(took it after taking the logged in one below),
i apologize for the large images, otherwise readability will be impacted

FAQ Logged-in View

The screenshot below is from when logged in. 
Full screen, so you could see the time stamp.

If you are a veteran surfer, you will not be surprised by any of this.

If you are new, please be aware, in this industry FAQs and T&C can change at any time.

Once bitten, Twice shy will be your fastest learning here.

While you are still on the site, browse the Terms & Conditions.

Particularly, this caught my attention …

So, Dear Readers,
How do you feel about the owner's new sites?
Is the past a mirror to the future?
Stay safe in your online journey!

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Feb 7th 2025 at 7:25 AM by Clare Bowen Hi Mona

Feb 7th 2025 at 7:40 AM by Clare Bowen Let me try again lol. Hi Mona, it's interesting that you should bring this particular example up, because I had a word with this owner yesterday after a member here at Easy asked for my advice. Seems that the owner had been paying prize winnings up to a point and then stopped paying. This change was communicated to the member after they had reached payout, and up until yesterday, there was no indication anywhere on the website that this change in payout terms had been made. This irked me because slap bang in the middle of the member area, as well as on the front page, reference is made to cash prizes for a promoter's contest. After I contacted this admin, he told me that he stopped paying prizes on this site, but still pays them on his newer site. I told him that he should make this info public. And so this is when he added the text about commissions having to be used on the site. I decided not to argue further, because I know it would be pointless. The ethical standards are missing in that admin period. Now, just to clarify something. Admins do sometimes have to change their terms, but in the case of ethical admins, it is done with fairness and sensitivity toward their members. And adequate notice is given. It is IMO unacceptable to change terms and not payout a member what was due to them before those terms were changed. Unfortunately, back to this particular admin, and I don't care if he reads this. He should know that I hate the way he degrades the reputation of our industry with such actions. He launched a TE recently, he sold upgrades on OTO, and then sold it to another owner less than a month later. Of course as seems to be standard these days, the new owner gave members the option to transfer all their comms to piggy bank or lose them. I'm not blaming the new owner here, nor condoning that action. However, that was a swift cash grab.

Feb 7th 2025 at 7:56 AM by Mona Menezes Thank you, Clare . You brought out valid points and also some eye-openers for me, particularly the subject on ethics. In an industry that suffers from clear guidelines and policing. It is important for owners (admins) to have self-set strong ethics and not look to other owners and admins and think it is ok to short change their members because they themselves have been through that. Like xyz does it so why cant i. Be the change that you want to see. Are you in the business only to make money or you believe in the concept of advertising and therefore running a Traffic Exchange. I feel many times that the plot has been lost at some of the TEs. And, not paying your promoters after running a promoter competition, well, oof, no words. And, if the site isnt doing well then why not sell. Oh, but then i see contradiction because the same owner has opened multiple new sites. Very confusing for me.

Feb 7th 2025 at 8:23 AM by Clare Bowen You're welcome Mona, thank you for giving me the platform, on my platform, to vent lol. I know my answer was a surprise for you, but there you go. I'm not one to sugarcoat injustices. You're right, monkey see, monkey do is fairly common in the industry, which is another reason why those of us who care about the reputation of the industry must be careful what we do. The Piggy Bank app was created to award members with account credit as prizes instead of cash. Luring members with cash prizes that they can't cash out, without proper notice of this in a highly visible area on the site, like on the commissions page is just uncalled for. Even putting a clause in the terms serves only really to protect the owner in the face of backlash. And we all know that terms can be updated anytime anyway.

Feb 7th 2025 at 8:26 AM by Clare Bowen Oh and yes, sometimes an owner will launch a new site to help with expenses from previous sites, like comms due and coming due. Nobody minds that, because that owner is doing something to make it right with their members. But to launch new sites and pay on those sites, but not on previous sites....... well

Feb 7th 2025 at 8:52 AM by Mona Menezes Well, Clare, it is not too late for the owner (admin) to redeem himself. Ideally, add this note in the comms page, not everyone reads FAQs. He can honour the pending prize money, payout those who have requested and set the record straight via email to his members, mentioning that the Note in FAQ is effective from 6 Feb 25. Just do the right thing! It shouldnt be rocket science.

Feb 7th 2025 at 9:04 AM by Clare Bowen Yes

Feb 7th 2025 at 9:35 AM by Steve Smith Hi Mona, as far as l am concerned any changes to a Traffic Exchange Members should be advised first if it affects them. We know as Owners how hard it is to get a good Reputation in this industry but very easy to lose, so why do some Owners try to commit Business Suicide. This is only my Opinion.

Feb 7th 2025 at 11:23 AM by Mona Menezes Thank you, Steve. Business Suicide! Yes ..

Apr 7th 2025 at 2:54 AM by Tarun KN Thanks Mona and Clare for your support and contribution to this story n my cause.

Apr 7th 2025 at 2:56 AM by Tarun KN Mahesh H owes me 41 dollars in comms. 41.99 to be exact which he refuses to pay up.

Apr 7th 2025 at 2:59 AM by Tarun KN Mahesh G MOT payment terms favored paying cashout for most part. But suddenly he changes rules and retrospectively even decides not to pay comm earned up until then. He said he doesnt have the money. I have seen TE owners announce changes in payout terms first and then make provisions for previous and current payouts. But here no consideration whatsover.

Apr 7th 2025 at 3:03 AM by Tarun KN Even my plea to atleast allow me to upgrade on Proactive Surf with my money fell on deaf ears. He has money for creating new sites but not old members who have stood by him through thick and thin. On his sites you cannot contact your referrrals. And if he wrongly pays your money to non existent accounts like once with coinbase he refuses to help. Finally I had to delete and create new email id to get funds in bitcoin whose worth had fallen to lot less by then.

Apr 7th 2025 at 3:33 AM by Lorian Garrett Gotta say, I agree with everything posted in this thread. Changing the rules without notification is a very bad business practice, and it makes all of us look bad.

Apr 7th 2025 at 3:39 AM by Lorian Garrett So, Clare, do you remember Mahesh posting one day (not too long ago) a rant about a member issuing a chargeback? And you pointed out that he had a LOT of complaints about member chargebacks? And you asked him why he was the only one with all those chargebacks? Guess we know now. LOL

ADMIN/OWNER RIGHTS VS DUTIES INCASE OF BAN

Along with rights comes duties.

Most often in enforcing rights, duties are ignored.

Classic example is the case with hits.surf.

Sharing for the benefit of readers.

I have accepted the ban (as it is their right), however, 
the admin should also accept that he has not fulfilled his duties.

According to their terms and conditions, 
FREE members also get 20%Comms.

Here goes.  It is best to know both sides, 
So you, the reader, can make an informed decision with your money.

Again, bear in mind, this was my experience. It can be different for different folks.

Why did i raise a paypal dispute?

This was the first time i raised a paypal dispute for the following reasons:

1. There was no response from the admin for 7 working days, until the dispute was raised.
2. Before raising the dispute,
   I added a blog post in the surf - where i made an appeal to the admin / owner to respond.
   It was read and ignored as the site was not approved for rotation, but other sites were approved
3. The payment request page says the payment will be cleared in 1 day, if not sooner.

4. Nothing happened for 6 days, post raising the cashout request.

Many conversations gave the impression that the admin will fulfill his dutybut we can see that the admin believes he has only rights and no duties.

Wishing everyone a safe online journey!

LATEST hits.surf UPDATE - 4 FEB

The admin said he would clear the payment by 2nd Feb.

However, they disabled my account without payment.

I sincerely apologize for promoting this site.

Plead my case it seems! What an ego!

Best wishes

mona

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Feb 4th 2025 at 12:59 AM by Clare Bowen I think he's just trying to avoid payment, period. I've had strong reservations about this site and the way the admin is being done, almost since day 1. I will not be the least bit surprised if everyone promoting it, is wasting their time and credits.

Feb 6th 2025 at 7:59 AM by Mona Menezes There is always a lesson waiting for me in this industry 😄

13 Jan LATEST UPDATE - HITS SURF TEAM

Dear Readers

My sites are approved and i received a detailed response from the Admin to my ticket.

I am going to continue to promote the site.

I will take down the other post in a few.

Best wishes

mona

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Jan 14th 2025 at 5:50 AM by Steve Smith Hi Mona, my site's were approved yesterday, did you receive your payment that you requested

Jan 15th 2025 at 12:39 AM by Mona Menezes Not yet. Will update here once it comes through.

Jan 17th 2025 at 8:15 PM by Mona Menezes There seems to be some confusion. On the resolution center and according to Paypal, the dispute is closed but Jack says at his end it is still active. Trying to sort that out.

Feb 3rd 2025 at 10:23 PM by Mona Menezes They said they would pay by 2nd Feb. I checked the site today and my account has been disabled.

OFF WITH MY HEAD! LISA

Dear Lisa

Then, go on, off with my head! 
But, pray, do let me know what i won!
Where is this great wealth that i cheated for?

What's the point of cheating? That too, nicely, 
If I cannot enjoy the spoils.

Awaiting your swift response, my fair maiden.

Yours truly,
Robinhood a.k.a me robbing-the-hood

ATTENTION - HITS SURF TEAM

Dear Hits Surf Team

I wish to bring to your attention that my ticket #31 
is pending response since 3 Jan.

Additionally, my referrals have also said that their 
tickets are either pending response or their sites have not been approved.

In the meantime, i have paused all traffic and also requested them to do the same.

I hope you will see this post and resolve the tickets, 
so that i can take down this post as 
I sincerely like the concept and promoted it whole-heartedly.

Am sorry, i couldnt find a better way to reach you 
and it has been over 7 days now since your last response.

Dear Readers,

Feel free to share your ticket number or your sites not approved in comments.
This post is in the hits.surf Surf sites and they will be able
to see the comments too.

Best Wishes

mona

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Jan 11th 2025 at 7:51 AM by Steve Smith I have been waiting nearly 3 days for my sites to be approved, when they say it should take 24 hours or less. Makes me feel very uneasy, the concept looks good if only Admin keep to there word.

Jan 12th 2025 at 2:42 AM by Mona Menezes They have disabled this post in surf :) So now my only recourse is to report them to paypal for a refund. Even the refund page doesnt work.

Jan 12th 2025 at 2:43 AM by Mona Menezes I have also sent an email to support@scriptbucks.com. Will wait for a couple of days for a response.

Jan 13th 2025 at 1:43 AM by Lorian Garrett My tickets haven't been answered for a week.

Jan 13th 2025 at 11:22 AM by Mona Menezes Just got a response from the Admin. Please check and see if your sites are approved.

The beauty of December

December feels like a doorway, one foot in the past, the other in the future. 
It holds everything this year has been: the chaos, the quiet, the heartbreaks 
that brought you to your knees, and the tiny victories that kept you going. 

It's heavy with memories but soft with the promise of something new.

Maybe December isn't about fixing what went wrong or rushing toward what's next. 
Maybe it's about breathing, about sitting with the year as it is, 
messy and beautiful in its own way. 

It's about recognizing the strength it took to make it through, 
even if all we did this year was survive.

2025 will come with its own rhythm, its own lessons, its own storms and sunshine. 
For now, let December be a time to honor how far we've come. 
To trust that even in the uncertainty, life is moving exactly as it should.

Let it remind us that endings don't have to be rushed, 
and beginnings don't need to be perfect.

Please note 

These 3 days are very important 🚨🚨🚨 for everyone.

31 December - Say Goodbye to 2024 and enjoy 🥂💃🕺

1 January - Wake up early as it is the First Day of the Year & make your New Year Resolutions.

2 January - Wake up as usual and break all the resolutions made on 1st

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Dec 31st 2024 at 1:23 AM by Clare Bowen 😄 So true!

Jan 6th 2025 at 11:05 PM by Ana AffTeam Yep, thats the way to start LOL, TY and Happy NEW!

An inspirational speaker said:

"The best days of my life were 
the days I spent with another man's wife!"

The audience were in shock and silence.
He added: "...and she is my mother."

A big round of applause and laughter followed.

One man who listened to the speech decided 
to crack this at home.

At dinner, he said to his wife:
"The best days of my life were 
the days I spent with another man's wife!"

For a moment he tried to recall the second line ..
 

By the time he regained his senses, he was on a hospital bed,
recovering from burns of hot curry poured by his wife.

MORAL: Don't copy if you cannot paste.   

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Aug 27th 2024 at 2:29 PM by Free30USDT Free30BTC cool, best of luck and ckeck out my profile where I show anyone to cash out in 10 minutes from now.

Dec 2nd 2024 at 1:48 AM by basumitra bandyopadhyay that was hilarious :)

NEW TES IN MAY'24

$2 Sign Up Bonus as per the splash! But i got only $1

$2 Sign Up Piggy Bank Cash!

$1 Sign Up Bonus!

Advertising credits etc are in the Banner and splashes etc.

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Jun 6th 2024 at 3:53 AM by Diana Cave Hi Mona. Please correct the info concerning Flowers Hits. This is from the Admin ther:e: Hello Diana It is a error ....solved All payments are free Thank you for the information

Jun 7th 2024 at 11:50 PM by Mona Menezes Ok. I will update accordingly.

Payout Request Format or example

Recently, a discussion on members being banned for 
rude payout requests has prompted this blog post. 
(Am at my wits' end to understand - when you do all the hard work, 
why throw it away by being rude? My brain couldnt compute)

I believe most communication that seems rude in nature 
is not always intentional but a lack of language skills.

I was also asked - is it fair or right for admins to do this?

Unfortunately, it is an unregulated line of business 
and up to the admins.

We can compare it to the restaurant business 
that has - Rights of Admission.

If you misbehave, you can be asked to leave.
Not just behaviour, clothing etc., we know what is allowed and what is not.

Therefore, Yes, being rude can make an admin ban, 
even if you don't think it is fair.  
 

After speaking to a few admins, and seeing the messages,
here are some common messages that are considered impolite (borderline rude):

1. Pay Me
2. Admin, I want payment

3. Blah, Blah (criticize) and then say by the way, my payment is due …

4. Repeated reminders

5. Why are you taking so long to pay????? 

6. Usage of too many question marks and exclamations … 

7. Sending repeated tickets without checking
responses from admin in emails (Yes, omg, there are several)

And, you may say that you have been paid by some admins 
(even with these types of messages).
Thank your stars for such admins who have a broader 
understanding of language issues, the world, culture etc.

My point is - why take that chance or give a reason to be banned
when your hardwork and money is at stake?

Here is a sample payout request format you can use when requesting payment

(Red text - the basic components it should contain)

Greeting 

Dear Admin or Hello Admin (usage of names is also ok, leave it up to you) or
Greetings of the day, Admin.

Giving Thanks 

Thank you for giving me a wonderful opportunity to earn.  

(yes, thank them - it is a no brainier- they work 24/7 
to keep their site running for you to earn) 

Newsflash - If you think surfing is a rocket science (niche) skill! 
and justifies the above messages ...
You should seek counseling and medical help.

I mean this in the nicest possible way, understand the skill level needed to surf.  
Very very important!

Suggestions if any (optional)
 

Good opportunity to showcase yourself 
when you suggest something for the site. 

Actual payout request

As per the requirements or T&C, I have reached payout 
and wish to request payout to my

Provide more than one option is better.

Sign Off

Many thanks for your support.

Have a great / wonderful / awesome day ahead.

Best Wishes

Now, let's put it all together and this is how it looks.

Dear Admin

Thank you for giving me an opportunity to earn.
Much appreciated.  I like many of the features here like the co-op and the team surfing etc.
Please implement Login Spotlight if possible at a reasonable price.
I noticed that $1 works on many sites.

Please note, i have successfully reached the payout threshold of $15.

My preferred payment processor is WISE or Paypal

My email id is abcd.efghy@gmail.com

CURRENCY: (local currency) - atleast rule in my country. 

Wishing you a wonderful day and a great week ahead.

Best wishes

Store it as a template and COPY. PASTE. CHANGE as REQD. REPEAT.

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May 10th 2024 at 4:50 AM by Clare Bowen This is a very good post Mona! I don't have this experience, due to paying commissions without the need to request. But I do agree that in any professional communication, people should be courteous, and this works both ways. Members to owners, and owners to members. In addition to that. Owners must respect members by sticking to their terms and paying on time accordingly. I think sometimes owners cause anger and disappointment among members. At the very least, some explanation for late payouts should be placed prominently if that is going to be the case. In addition, changing payout terms can annoy members. Respect is a two-way street basically. Anyway, thanks very much for this, and for all your helpful posts.

May 12th 2024 at 12:14 PM by Mona Menezes Thank you, Clare 🌸 Yes, we appreciate that we dont have to request for payment at Easy! 😊Many thanks for your views and for being a great admin!

May 12th 2024 at 1:26 PM by Ves Cvijanovic Hello Mona.... Great post and very up-to-date. Some owners really don't want to pay surfers, so they make up to pay in gold that surfers have upgraded from. It's really stupid, and at the same time very rude of the owner. The owners want to upgrade because they turn that gold into money, but at the same time they don't want to pay in cash. I'm a very correct surfer on every site I surf, but as soon as I sent another payout request came the answer that it doesn't need to be sent again.

May 12th 2024 at 1:26 PM by Ves Cvijanovic Yes, he paid me and blocked my IP address in the same second, even though I had an annual upgrade on some of his sites, and a lifetime upgrade on one. I regularly upgraded to the others. I'm very happy that he blocked me because I don't want to deal with such people anymore.

Today, I would like to pay my respects to Misty Hits and Standout TE.  
Every Traffic Exchange in its own unique way has a heart and a soul.
 

Misty Hits 
Although, I did'nt get much time to surf there -
when i could surf, i realized that this modest TE, owned by Chetan Midda 
offered a lot of promise.  With some much needed love and care,
this TE had the potential to grow.  

Alas, it was cut short - 2022 to 2024. 

My brief interaction with Chetan, showed me that he is an excellent surfer
when he is not busy and a great team player.

Please accept my condolences for Misty Hits, my friend.  
And, Thank you for the traffic!

Standout TE - Truly a TE steeped in Gothic culture!
 
Show me a TE that has as much spunk, so complex and exotic
at the same time, as Standout TE.
True to its name - Those crisp and deep creatives that let you experience more than just traffic! 
Elizabeth Ramsek, you are an artist!
 

Popular saying - Good art need not necessarily mean good business! 
Thank you for the traffic!
And, may its soul rest in peace!

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Apr 13th 2024 at 2:52 AM by Clare Bowen To all those who surfed at these sites, to the owners who put so much time into them, and especially to all those who invested time and money, thinking they would live long, full lives. My heartfelt condolences. May these sites rest in peace.

Apr 14th 2024 at 12:46 AM by Sabrina Traversa Thanks for the post, Mona. I can't help but be curious to know more about the ehind the scenes when it comes to TEs, but I know many owners operate at a loss. The thought of buying StandOut actually crossed my mind when I knew it was going to shut down, but still... RIP Misty and StandOut.

Traffic Exchange (TE) Obituary and why not?
 

Before I join any more TE's, I would like to take a moment to 
record the sudden demise or disappearance of a few TE's
that have happened since my brief tenure online.

Pay my respects via Traffic Exchange Obituary posts. 
A remembrance!

When a new TE launches, they are promoted with grand pomp 
and show for days and weeks until a new one comes along.  

Then, as time passes, some make it, some sail into the sunset.   

I am a big believer in closure.
Through these TE obituary posts, I wish to pay my respects.

Join me in saying good bye! 
Stay tuned for the upcoming TE Obituaries.

Am i contributing to the growth of a ‘Ponzi’ business?

When i speak to my friends about joining me in the TE business,
am always faced with a question that i can't answer, and,
the happenings over the last couple of weeks have got me thinking -
Am i contributing to the growth of ‘Ponzi’ businesses?

I invested in 6 lifetime memberships last year and multiple yearly upgrades
because i sincerely want to believe that I am not in a Ponzi business.
However, the incidents over the last few weeks:

a) Launching a spate of multiple sites by same owners 
b) decrease in commission percentages after members upgrades.
c) adhoc changes in surf rewards after members
upgrades
d) Adding so many payment processors as options and then eventually
delaying payment by asking the member to have a specific payment processor.
Fully knowing that all payment processors are not present in all countries.

Have got me re-thinking that maybe my friends are right.  
They say, we cannot take away ‘Ponzi’ from this business!
For those who dont know the meaning -
An investment swindle in which some early investors
are paid off with money put up by later ones that leads to encouraging more and bigger risks
And, obviously the next truth - Admin and sites dont live forever. 
And, the final truth - There is no legal remedy if you lose your investment,
just bad feelings that you have to get over in time.

I kept asking myself  - would i take part in something like this in the offline world
where there are legal remedies.
Is it ethical what is being done?
Should'nt the days of upgrade be refunded to members, once said changes are made.
Will this discourage future members from upgrading? 
Am i promoting the right sites?
In the race to score upgrades, are admins in over their heads
and thus forcing these decisions.

I have already deleted my account from a couple
of sites that kept changing the rules, irrespective of the comms that were there.  
As a principle (online as well as offline), i will never be a part of shifty businesses.  

Admins supporting these businesses by giving them prime real-estate
on their websites need to ask themselves, what are they supporting?
There are 2 reasons why it is bad for business:
1.  The sites don't really have more membership than the sites
providing the real estate - even if FREE.
(maybe in the past, it had)
2. You risk bringing down your site and bugging your members
when those sites go down or are under maintenance.

l don't believe many TE's are like a ‘Ponzi’ Scheme.
I do believe the actions of a few are contributing to the
overall degradation of the industry as a whole.

Am leaving the topic here, and it is open to discussion:
1. Is it ethical to change the T&C time and time again?
2. If yes, then, should members with an upgrade in effect be refunded for the days post the changes made as it violates what was on offer?  
Would you tolerate it in an offline world, where there is a legal system that can address the issue.
3. And finally, are we contributing to making the TE business more Ponzi …
than ever before!

TRUST IS VERY HARD TO EARN …. AND, EASILY LOST!

Disclaimer: I am looking for a healthy discussion on this topic.  
No intention to cause harm or distress to anyone.  
No animals were harmed during the writing of this post.
My keyboard took the brunt of it!

Please feel free to share your views and experiences.

Finally, my humble request - please refrain from using foul language or naming
names or sites when sharing any incidents with respect to the above.
Help me convince my friends that the TE Business is
legitimate and not Ponzi.

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Apr 4th 2024 at 4:46 AM by Clare Bowen Hi Mona Its an interesting discussion. Having been in the business as a member of many TEs for over ten years, and now an owner as well, I have a ton to say on the topic. But, as an owner, I tend to keep much of my thoughts around these things to myself. There are grey areas. For example, a member can upgrade for a combination of reasons, or the whole package as it seems, or they might not care much about some of the perks, while others are important. As an owner, it doesn't make sense for example, to keep a rewards program active if only a handful of members are partaking in those rewards (I'm talking viral rewards served from external sources). To me, the absolute no-no is to change upgrade benefits that are fixed, such as commission %, number of credits, or any rewards (cash or otherwise) that have been advertised as a perk for upgraded members. This to me is different from incidental rewards such as prize pages that are not advertised, but just occur. If members are on an upgrade with advertised perks, then when changes to those advertised perks come, I do believe they are entitled to a refund on the remainder of their upgrade. Whether commissions paid to their upline must be taken into account and deducted, is another question to be asked. Most owners have it written in their terms that they don't do refunds, but this should not be used as protection in this type of unfair situation in my opinion. I don't remember owners in the past changing terms as frequently and drastically as I've seen more recently and it's a disturbing trend. To me, merely slipping changes into the Terms is too convenient for an owner and unfair to members. Owners need to be careful of the bait that they use to attract new members, and shouldn't cry foul, if they promote cash prizes heavily, and attract people who want them and are prepared to work for them. Letting members, free or not, build up commissions through hard work and then making changes that make it much harder or even impossible to ever reach payout is unethical. And regarding putting reward sites on, that may tarnish the reputation of the TE. I agree, and I've removed a couple because of this, and also point blank refused to add others. An owner does have to take care though about upsetting members who do still collect the rewards. It's a tough one really. Finally, the meaning behind the concept of traffic exchanges should not be lost. We exchange traffic. That is the primary purpose. If people join thinking they can profit from surfing alone, they come in with this expectation and usually they're disappointed.

Apr 4th 2024 at 8:23 AM by Steve Smith Hi Mona, l have been in this industry for over 20 years now and have seen many changes over the years, some good and some bad. As an Owner myself, l have always believed look after your members first and yourself second, the reason for this is your members are helping to build your business with you, without members you have no business. Give to receive is the way to success. Your article was very interesting with many valid points and would like to share my thoughts. This is only my opinion and not to upset anyone else, as an Owner you have to run your business the way you see fit. 1) Launching a spate of multiple sites by same owners Personally l could never do that, l would rather put all my efforts into building the one TE l have and improving as l grow rather than hoping members will upgrade again and again. Members also need to make money as well. ------------- 2) Decrease in Commission percentages after members upgrades and changes in surf rewards after members upgrades Decreasiing Commissions and Surfer Rewards after members has upgraded, to me is a no no unless your TE is in danger of closing. If that is the only way then member should made aware of the situation in advance, as an Owner my reputation is everything to me and would hate to lose members trust by changing anything without consulting with the members first. Excessive surfing by few can cause admins to reduce rewards for everyone, l would only do this as a last resort. ------------- 3) Adding so many payment processors as options and then eventually delaying payment by asking the member to have a specific payment processor.Fully knowing that all payment processors are not present in all countries. In my opinion it is the Owners responsibility to add Processors that are suitable for all Countries and always pay members when they reach payout without fail. ------------- 4) Is it ethical to change the T&C time and time again? Terms and Conditions have been agreed to by Members and Owners and should be honored for existing members, any new members who join after will agree with Members and Owners to the the new Terms, that way everyone is happy. TRUST IS VERY HARD TO EARN …. AND, EASILY LOST! ------------- My Comments are not to upset anyone, above are only my views and everyone Members or Owners should have a choice to do what they believe, just because l am Passionate about my beliefs, l understand people have ther own views.

Apr 12th 2024 at 10:16 AM by Ves Cvijanovic Hello Mona and dear friends I am a regular surfer and i would like to share - some admin launch new sites keeping payment dues outstanding on their previous sites. I am an upgraded member in a site where my payment is due. I follow all the Terms and conditions properly. I suggest that admins pay their dues and then launch new sites, so as to avoid being called Ponzi. I dont want to name and shame any admin but i can share the details via PM for validity purpose, incase, any of this seems untrue. Once i receive my payment, i will update here again.

Apr 12th 2024 at 10:25 AM by Mona Menezes Dear Clare, Steve and Vesna - Thank you for your inputs. Sharing our thoughts can really help the new comers and the industry as a whole to grow comprehensively rather than in silos. Apologies for my delayed response, been away and just returned.

Apr 18th 2024 at 10:38 AM by Ves Cvijanovic Update as I promised....I received my payment .

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NO INVESTMENT! NO UPGRADES!

HAPPY NEW YEAR 2024 🥂

Dear Friends,
Thank you for making 2023 a year to remember! 💫
When there is so much choice out there,
I am delighted that you have put your faith in me 🤗

You are an integral part of my team, network, friends and family ❤

Hope 2024 will make all your dreams come true 💫 and
if in any way i can be instrumental in making that happen, you know where to reach me! 🌸

LFMTE DIRECT LINK BLOOPERS

Dear Friends,
Sometimes (not always) direct link can show someone else's Ref Name,
rather than your Name like the example below and you would'nt know about it.

Suggested approach is to use the splashpage link
that doesnt have this drawback instead of direct signup links.

Normally, when i see such anomalies, i tend to inform members
in a PM or maybe via an email, cause i can share a screenshot.

However, that doesnt help many who are probably losing
their potential referrals and are not even aware about it.
Will use this space to share such examples. 
Hope it will be helpful.

11 DEC 23

PS: Admin can fix this issue if aware that it is happening. 
Many times, they may not be aware of this.

CHRISTMAS IS EARLY AT THE FOOD GAME! 🎅🎄

November 26-27, Cyber Monday special!
ALL PIGGY BANK DEPOSITS WILL GIVE YOU 50% EXTRA!

NEW TE! JAVA HITS NOV'23

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BLACK FRIDAY OFFERS

Dear Friends,

If you see some irresistable offers not listed here, please share them in comments.
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MORE UPDATES COMING SOON ... 

AWARD FOR THE COOLEST ICONS GOES TO FINEST TRAFFIC! 

Simplicity at its best! 🤩

Some nice songs on beer 
Beer Cant Fix
Cold Beer Calling my Name
Drinkin Beer. Talking God
The Wild Rover - Contributed by Clare Bowen

Am looking out for more beer songs!
If it is not mentioned here, please leave in comments. Many Thanks. 🍻

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Nov 18th 2023 at 11:17 PM by Clare Bowen Yes! I love those icons too. Wild Rover :-)) is a good old beer song

Nov 20th 2023 at 11:48 PM by Mona Menezes Many thanks ,Clare. Nice One. Added. 🍻

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I RAN ... SO CAN YOU! 😎

Residual Ad Network (RAN) offers almost all the services
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At 50% comms and very generous surfer rewards
(get them before the admin changes his mind, lol),
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Lots of payment options, too!    

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BROKEN CRAYONS

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Nov 21st 2023 at 9:11 AM by Marcy Joseph Fantastic way to look at things. Thank you Mona!

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Earn extra from the weeklyprize.club Page that you will find in the below TE's. 
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Oct 20th 2023 at 9:24 PM by Habib Madni

Oct 21st 2023 at 4:25 PM by Mona Menezes 😄

TO BONE OR NOT TO BONE? CAN BE REWARDING!😲

If the title caught your attention,
dont stop now, continue reading,
it can be very rewarding!
(best to keep your head out of the gutter, though)😄

Am not on the fence with this one anymore, nothing to lose!
Only more cash and advertising to add to your kitty 😊

Lots of great advertising options with 5 level referral rewards!
Win advertising C/B/T for being the top daily bone collector. 
Probably the site offers lots more which needs more exploration.

Each bone has a value of $0.0001,
which means it takes ten thousand bones
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And, voila, you can convert this into $$.  

There are plenty of sites to collect bones
and some of my favourite sites are listed below. 

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if you choose to join any of them. 😊👍

COMING SOON ...	COMING SOON ...	COMING SOON ...

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Sep 13th 2023 at 9:03 AM by Clare Bowen I will smile with every bone that I collect from now on. But of course, because I know their value. No mind in gutter here lolol. Awesome post, you made my day Mona.

Sep 13th 2023 at 9:31 AM by Mona Menezes Aww! Thank you Clare 😊🌸 am glad you enjoyed the pun!

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This newbie TE has lots of advertising opportunities and 50% comms.

It also offers a lot of ways to earn while surfing:
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Oct 8th 2023 at 11:53 AM by Habib Madni Nice slection

Hello Friends

500 Food Game Gold Gift
Join any TE below and get 500 FG Gold gift from me 🤗

Welcome to the wonderful journey of
earning passive income!

Hello there! My name is Mona. 
My 🏡 is Hyderabad, India.

I have always been fascinated by internet income and 
I enjoy earning passive income from Crypto and TE's.

In TE's, there are several earning opportunities presented,
earnings from Surfing or Promoting and a combination of both.

It is up to you to find your niche and
grow in what makes you more comfortable 😉

Join and try out the earning opportunities first hand
to find out what works for you because
every TE offers almost the same thing but at the
same time something different.

To help you on this journey, please feel free to
avail of offers and gifts!🎁😊🎁to my referrals are
500 Food Game Gold or 750 Food Game Gold for joining specific TEs.

And, if you are not yet a member of the food game,
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to join please click the banner below and kickstart
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Sep 11th 2023 at 9:13 AM by Clare Bowen Great post Mona!

Sep 13th 2023 at 6:46 AM by Mona Menezes Thank you, Clare 🌸