An autosurf is a type of internet-based program in which users view an automated, timed series of websites or advertisements. There are two principal types of autosurfing plans, sometimes called “paid-to-surf” and “surf-only.” On “Surf-only” sites users agree to view the automated series of sites in return for “free traffic” to the users’ own for-profit websites, which are added to the series. Some users have found it an excellent way to attract a lot of traffic to their sites without spending a lot on marketing.

The “paid-to-surf” model has attracted much more attention in recent years. These plans generally involve membership fees, sometimes called “investments.” Users view websites, typically a minimum of eight to twelve per day for about fifteen seconds each, and are rewarded with a percentage dividend on their initial payment into the system. There are many variations on this type of plan. In many cases users buy “upgrades” which allow them to make more money. In others, they refer new users into the system, and receive commissions on the sites their referrals – and their referrals’ referrals – view, in a system known as a “downline.” However, as most modern sites are quick to point out, there is no guaranteed income. Many autosurf sites have folded or been exposed as fly-by-night operations or Ponzi schemes.

A Ponzi scheme is a classic investment scam. It refers to a system in which an entrepreneur attracts investors to a new fund by promising them big returns on invested capital. Often vague explanations are given for the type of investment, but in reality money from new investors is simply being paid to old investors and there is no real investment of the capital. The scheme is doomed to failure because it cannot continue to pay the investors large returns when it has no source of revenue other than the investments themselves. Of course, the operators of these fraudulent investments also plan to make a profit, and with no real revenue-creating venture they too end up taking from the pool of investments. In many cases, after paying out on initial investments to attract the attention of more investors and to induce previous investors to reinvest, the operators simply disappear leaving their duped former clients lamenting the loss.

Ponzi schemes are often confused with Pyramid schemes, and they are similar. The difference is that, in a Pyramid scheme, members are expected to recruit other members and their income is contingent on the ability to do so. In a Ponzi scheme, the operator deals directly with the “investors” and they are led to believe that their funds are being invested in some other enterprise.

Any autosurf site that promises a high return on investments but has no other way of generating revenue to make payouts is likely to be a Ponzi scheme, making it a risky and unstable investment at best. The most famous example of such an autosurf operator is the case of a company called 12 Daily Pro.

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Any Posts I make, are for discussion purposes only. I am not vouching for any programs. One should invest in HYIPs with Extreme Caution.