Explore every episode of the podcast Duped: The Dark Side of Online Business

Your revenue goal won't magically happen because you wrote it on a Post-it. 

Investing in an expensive program won't summon opportunities. 

And you're probably not one offer away from fixing your entire business.

But online business wants you to believe otherwise.

When leads are down, launches flop, and everything feels out of your control, magical thinking gets awfully appealing. And there's an entire industry ready to profit from it.

Welcome back to Season 6 of Duped. In this episode, we're breaking down three magical thinking spells online business is casting right now, why even smart people fall for them, and how to protect yourself from getting duped.

Topics discussed in this episode:

• Why feeling out of control makes us search for patterns and promises that aren't actually there.

• How setting bigger goals and visualizing success can become a distraction. 

• How the pressure to bet on yourself can push you into expensive investments. 

• Why the idea that one offer, strategy, or tweak will transform your entire business is so seductive.

• How parasocial relationships make us trust online business experts. 

• How to protect yourself from magical thinking. 

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. 

It's halftime, and the online business industry is still running the same plays.

This season, we watched old grifts make a comeback, influencers continue replacing experts, and tired tactics get dressed up as innovation.

So for our season finale, we're stepping back to look at the big picture: who's still running the grift, what plays they're using, and where all of this is heading next.

Topics Discussed:

• Why the online business industry's favorite grifts keep coming back in new packaging.

• The key players shaping the 2026 landscape. 

• How visibility, lifestyle branding, and aspirational income claims continue to replace genuine expertise.

• Why trust is collapsing online—and how "authenticity" may become the next big marketing tactic.

• What economic pressure, AI, and ongoing wealth obsession mean for the future of online business.

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.

Celebrity entrepreneurship didn't disappear. It just got a rebrand.

The flashy gurus may be gone, but the playbook is alive and well…now it's just wrapped up in personal brands, creator businesses, and AI offers.

In this episode, we're revisiting celebrity entrepreneurship in 2026, exploring how it's evolved, why it still works, and what business owners need to understand to avoid getting caught up in the hype.

Topics Covered:

• How celebrity entrepreneurship has evolved (but still follows the same playbook).

• The rise of personal brands, creator CEOs, and audience-first businesses.

• Why visibility, popularity, and credibility are not the same thing.

• How AI is creating new opportunities—and new celebrity entrepreneurs.

• What to watch for to avoid getting caught up in online business hype and expert culture. 

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. 

It's 2026, and people are still selling the fantasy that you can throw up a course, membership, or low-ticket offer and make easy money online. 

What do they leave out? If you don't already have an audience, none of it works — and building one now is harder than ever.

Back in 2023, we called out the audience growth grift. Three years later, the lie is still the same, so in this episode, we're exploring how the system around it is just way worse in 2026. 

Topics discussed:

• Why "no audience, no problem" is still a lie.

• How AI and vibe-coded apps are supercharging online business grifts.

• Why growing an audience in 2026 is harder than ever.

• How burnout and economic anxiety fuel scammy marketing.

• Red flags to watch for before buying business programs.

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.

Suddenly, everyone online is having their "biggest month ever." More money. Less effort. Faster results.

And somehow, this flood of income claims is happening at the exact moment the economy feels shakier than ever.

So what's really going on?

In this episode, we're unpacking why income claims are everywhere right now, how they shape what you believe is possible, and what to watch for in an AI-fueled online market.

Topics discussed:

• Why income claims explode during times of economic uncertainty.

• How income claims are designed to sell certainty, speed, and escape.

• The connection between self-help culture, personal responsibility, and online business marketing.

• How AI is amplifying income claims, authority, and perceived social proof

• Red flags to watch for when evaluating big revenue and "overnight success" stories.

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. 

Why are we taking advice from people we've never actually vetted?

They feel familiar. They feel trustworthy. And that's exactly the problem! 

Inspired by Michelle's TEDx talk, this episode dives into why confident influencers often win over actual experts and what that's costing you. We're breaking down the psychology behind it, and how to stop getting duped.

Topics discussed:

• Why we trust influencers over experts and what's really driving it.

• How familiarity and parasocial relationships create false credibility.

• The expertise paradox: why real experts struggle to explain (and sell) what they do.

• What happens when confidence replaces competence—and who pays for it.

• How to actually vet who you trust before making big decisions.

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. 

What happens when a money manifestation coach tries to sell her beliefs to an audience that doesn't already buy in?

When Amanda Frances stepped onto The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, the response wasn't admiration…it was scrutiny. And suddenly, the usual messaging didn't hold up the same way.

In this episode, we're breaking down the worship of wealth, how it's packaged as empowerment, and why it unravels the moment someone asks a real question.

Topics discussed in this episode:

• How Amanda Frances's message holds up outside the online business bubble on The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills.

• Core beliefs: wealth as identity, not strategy.

• Why her approach breaks under scrutiny.

• Wealth as both proof and marketing.

• Red flags in money mindset offers.

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. 

2025 didn't end the grifting….it exposed it.

This was the year accountability was rebranded as "mean girl marketing," trust became a trendy talking point instead of a lived practice, and expertise became whatever played best with the algorithm.

Today, we're unpacking what actually went down, what it signals for 2026, and why there's still something worth believing in beneath the noise.

Topics discussed in this episode: 

• Why 2025 wasn't the end of the grift.

• How "trust," AI, and urgency became cover for bad behavior.

• Why critique was reframed as harm, and who that protects?

• What we think actually gets worse in 2026 (and why).

• Where real hope still lives: discernment, reputation, and asking better questions. 

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. 

There's a new kind of online business drama in town, and it's not girlbossing. It's "Mean Girl Marketing."

Is "mean girl marketing" actually a problem? Where did it come from? And why is it suddenly everywhere? That's what we're exploring in this episode. 

Topics discussed in this episode:

• What Mean Girl Marketing really is (and what it isn't).

• How exclusivity, shame, and status get weaponized in sales.

• Why these tactics work and how they manipulate belonging.

• The biggest red flags to spot before you get pulled in.

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.

AI "experts" are multiplying faster than the tech itself — but most of them are just three prompts ahead of you.

And when AI touches your data, your clients, and your entire business infrastructure, bad advice isn't just annoying…it's risky.

In this episode, we break down what's real, what's hype, and how to spot who actually knows their stuff.

Topics discussed in this episode:

• The rise of fake "AI experts" who are only three prompts ahead.

• The real risks bad AI advice creates for your business.

• How the hype cycle pushes people into tools they don't need.

• Red flags that your AI guru isn't legit.

• The questions that reveal who actually knows their shit.

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.

Everywhere you look in online business, someone's promising the moon — a 6-figure month, a personality overhaul, maybe even a cellular glow-up.

But here's the real question: are these programs actually delivering or just selling hype?

In this episode, we break down how program promises went from helpful clarity to manipulative fantasy — and how to spot the difference before you buy (or sell).

Topics discussed in this episode:

• How online programs went from "helpful promises" to hype machines.

• The psychology that makes big claims so tempting.

• Red flags that signal a promise you shouldn't trust.

• How to spot real value vs. dream-selling.

• What ethical, grounded promises look like.

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. 

Scroll your feed, watch the news, open your inbox — and you'll see why we're in the middle of a Trust Recession. 

Everyone's performing honesty, but few are actually telling the truth.

In this episode, we're breaking down what you need to know about the current Trust Recession. 

Topics discussed in this episode: 

• What is the Trust Recession (and why is everyone talking about it)?

• Why "authenticity" is the new sales tactic.

• How celebrity entrepreneurs weaponize trust.

• How do you identify the red flags before clicking "buy now"? 

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.

Have you seen a "certainty in uncertain times" coach or a web celeb selling the "only strategy that still works in 2025"? That's not just cringe, it's a warning sign.

The grift isn't dying. It's mutating.

We're in the era of peak grift, and that doesn't mean scammers are going away. It means they're getting smarter, sneakier, and more desperate.

Welcome to The Doubt Economy—where the audience stops buying the hype, and the grifters start to panic.

In this episode, we're unpacking what happens next.

Topics discussed:

• How audience skepticism created The Doubt Economy.

• Why grifters don't disappear—they evolve.

• The new tactics: selling certainty, not success.

• When hype turns into fraud and criminality.

• How to protect yourself from aggressive marketing.

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. 

Ever been captivated by a coach who seemed too good to be true—magnetic, inspiring, and totally authentic—only to find yourself questioning how you ended up spending thousands, still feeling like you're not enough? 

You're not the only one.

In this episode, we're diving into the darker side of online business, exploring how some leaders use cult-like tactics to build trust, manipulate your decisions, and keep you hooked. 

Topics discussed in this episode:

• How web celebs earn your trust and devotion through "authenticity."

• How they maintain control once you're inside the program.

• The BITE Model of Authoritarian Control 

• How to protect yourself from being swept up in the cult of personality.

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. 

Ever felt weird reading someone's sales email—like you just got trauma-dumped by a stranger?

You're not imagining it. Vulnerability has become a marketing currency, and now everyone is oversharing in the name of sales.

If you've ever felt weird, guilty, or just plain uncomfortable reading a sales pitch wrapped in trauma, welcome to the cult of oversharing.

In this episode, we're discussing how vulnerability has become THE marketing strategy—and how that creates ethical landmines for both the audience and the business owner.

Topics discussed in this episode:

• The rise of oversharing in online business. 

• How "share your story" advice goes off the rails and turns into lead generation through trauma.

• Social Penetration Theory and how marketing skips healthy relationship-building stages.

• How vulnerability is used to build trust, likability, and influence purchase behavior—sometimes unethically.

• Red flags to watch for so you don't get sucked in by oversharing. 

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.

Online business may keep rebranding itself, but the tropes? 

They never die—they just get slicker. 

In this episode, we're walking down memory lane and revisiting The Very Tired Tropes of Online Business to see how the same old tactics have evolved in 2025. 

Spoiler: they're back, sneakier than ever. 

Topics discussed in this episode:

• Definition of tropes in online business

• Sales tropes that are still thriving in 2025

• New sales tropes

• Relatability tropes 

• Shift from flashy luxury to curated "realness"

• Money tropes that are still everywhere

• Pivot tropes

• The disappearing act: online figures vanish and rebrand without context

• Ways you can protect yourself 

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. 

Have you ever noticed how people online teach others to do the exact thing they have just learned?

Coaches coaching coaches. Creators teaching creators. Influencers teaching influencing.

It's not innovation—it's online business inception

In this episode, we're exploring three tell-tale signs of Online Business inception, the online business inception pyramid scheme, and how to protect yourself.

Topics discussed in this episode:

• What is Online Business Inception?

• How success is often based on teaching the platform, not using it for real business. 

• Circular content strategies that recycle the same advice with little substance.

• Saturation of tactics leading to platform fatigue and diminishing returns.

• The hidden pyramid scheme.

• The shift from value creation to value extraction in the online space.

• How to protect yourself: vet advice, temper expectations, and spot patterns early.

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.

What do MLMs, cults, and online coaches have in common? A whole lot of manipulation.

In this episode of Duped, we sit down with author and marketing critic Dr. Mara Einstein to unpack how cult tactics are being repackaged as "business strategy" in the online world. From collapsed marketing funnels to parasocial influencers and toxic coaching circles, we dig into the psychology behind it all.

If you've ever felt duped by an online guru or pressured by hustle culture, this one's for you.

Topics discussed in this episode:

• Why Mara wrote Hoodwinked and how cult tactics show up in modern marketing

• The rise of "cult-lite" influencers and parasocial trust.

• What the "anxiety economy" is—and how it keeps us scrolling (and spending).

• How collapsing the marketing funnel impacts critical thinking and buyer behavior.

• Are algorithms today's cult leaders?.

• Spotting psychological traps like truth bias and the illusory truth effect.

• Why the coaching industry—especially for women—can be uniquely harmful.

• What the future of ethical business might look like in toxic online spaces.

• Mara's advice for anyone caught in a digital cult or shady coaching ecosystem.

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.

Remember when the internet felt fun, helpful—even inspiring? Yeah, us too.

But lately? It's feeling more like a digital junk drawer. 

In this episode of Duped, we're talking about enshittification—what it is, how it shows up in your feed, and how AI is making it worse.

From AI-generated garbage content to platforms prioritizing profits over people, we're breaking down how it all got so bad—and what we can do about it.

Topics discussed in this episode:

• What is enshittification and some examples. 

• How AI is accelerating enshittification

• Is AI the villain? Or can it be used responsibly?

• The real-world impact on consumers and business owners

• What to watch for with AI enshittification

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.

She cries on camera. Wears hoodies. Says she's just like you, right before pitching her five-figure course.

She's the BFF Next Door. And in 2025, she's not just relatable; she's a finely-tuned marketing machine.

In this episode, we're diving into one of the most deceptively dangerous archetypes in the online business world: the BFF Next Door.

We discuss:

• Introduction to the BFF Next Door Archetype: Who she is and how she operates in the online business world.

• How vulnerability, relatability, and curated imperfection are used as sales tools.

• Why is this archetype so popular right now?

• The psychological impact of feeling connected to someone you don't actually know.

• Why the BFF Next Door is more dangerous than traditional "bro marketers".

• The issues with associating with problematic figures while claiming to be different.

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. 

2024 was a wild ride and, for many, incredibly economically challenging.

So, what exactly went down this year? 

In this episode of Duped, we're diving in for a 2024 year-end recap, breaking down the year that was and talking about what's headed our way for 2025.

We discuss:

• Why 2024 was rough economically for many businesses.

• How some businesses went all in on creative rebranding.

• How the pyramid scheme of life coaching began to crumble.

• The rise and fall of digital MRR.

• Why consumers are becoming more skeptical.

• How the FTC has stepped up to start implementing more regulation in the industry. 

• A warning about 2025. 

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.

Passive income! Life-changing results! Freedom! And all for a limited time only.  These are just a few typical tropes online businesses use to reel you in. 

Big promises that sound great on paper, and even though you're maybe a little hesitant, you decide to give it a go. 

Unfortunately, in many cases, the dream we're being sold quickly turns into a nightmare.  

So, how is an online business really legit and worth your investment?

In this episode of Duped, we'll uncover the signs that an online business is going down faster than the Titanic. 

We discuss: 

• Five red flags to look for with online businesses.

• Specific warning signs for each one.

• What to look for when doing your due diligence vetting an online business.

• Five ways to identify a trustworthy program.

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.

Robert Cialdini's book Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion has become ubiquitous in the online business community.

But are the principles Cialdini set forth being used in good faith

Spoiler alert: in many cases, nope, not at all.

In this episode, we get into part two of exploring Robert Cialidini and his code of ethics for anyone who uses his work. We examine the final four weapons of influence along with tips to protect yourself.

We discuss: 

• Cialdini's ethics 

• Authority, Social Proof, Consistency and Unity

• What are they?

• How are they used in online business?

• How do you protect yourself against each one?

• Four specific tips to protect yourself as a consumer. 

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. 

Do you know what book is one of the most used—and abused—in online business? Many celebrity entrepreneurs and top marketers cite it as influential…which makes sense given its title.  

It's Robert Cialdini's Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion.

While we have referenced this book many times on the pod, we have never actually done a deep dive to get into the nitty-gritty of it all.  

In this episode, we explore Robert Cialidini and his code of ethics for anyone who uses his work. We then examine three of his seven weapons of influence and cover the next four in the next episode. 

We discuss: 

• Who is Robert Cialdini?

• Dr. Cialdini's code of ethics.

• Background on the book Influence.

• What Cialdini means by "principles".

• The first three principles and how they show up in online business.

• Reciprocity

• Liking/Familiarity

• Scarcity

• How to protect yourself as a consumer. 

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. 

Masterminds are often sold as life-changing experiences that will help boost your business, increase revenue, and connect with like-minded people.

But how often have you seen masterminds that turn out to be expensive group coaching sessions run by unqualified "experts"? 

Or even worse—joined one yourself and found out too late that it's nothing like what you were promised?

In this episode, we're peeling back the layers on something that's become almost a rite of passage in the online business world: masterminds. We're talking about red flags to watch for and what makes for a good mastermind experience. 

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.

Have you ever seen an offer on social media claiming you can make big bucks in no time at all if you sell something created by someone else?

Welcome to the world of Master Resell Rights, where you allegedly can get rich from doing little to no work at all.

But like everything else in online business, it's too good to be true and the house of cards is quickly tumbling.

In this episode of Duped, we're peeling back the curtain to expose how it all went wrong—from faceless Instagram accounts selling the dream to fake income claims. 

We discuss:

• What Master Resell Rights (MRR) are.

• How MMRs gained popularity.

• Why the MRR grift started to fall apart.

• Why you should keep an eye on the MRR space.

• The ethical concerns with MRR. 

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.

If you've ever been duped and immediately blamed yourself for it, you're not the only one. 

Yes, we all have a level of personal responsibility, but that doesn't negate the fact that humans are primed to fall for get rich quick schemes.

So why is that? 

In this episode of Duped, we're flipping the script. Instead of talking about how to prevent getting scammed, we're exploring why were are so damn susceptible to it.  

We discuss:

• A brief history of get rich quick schemes.

• Five telltale signs you're being scammed.

• How rugged individualism and the American dream play a role in why we get sucked into schemes.

• Why do prosperity gospel and manifestation prime us to be taken in by schemes?

• What is confirmation bias and what role does it play in our decision-making?

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.

Have you ever bought something on a payment plan and quickly realized you're unsatisfied, but there's no way out?

The fact is, not all payment plans are created equal. While they can be an excellent way to pay for something over time, the flip side is that they can also be weaponized by celebrity entrepreneurs and used to handle sales objections. 

So, what risks should you, the consumer, know about before buying a course or program using a payment plan? 

In this episode, we're equipping you with the knowledge to make informed decisions about what you buy and how you pay for it. 

We discuss:

• The pros and cons of payment plans.

• How payment plans can be weaponized to handle objections.

• How much is a reasonable markup on a payment plan?

• The possible pitfalls of extended payment plans.

• Why incentives for paying in full can be problematic.

• How third-party payment services can make payment plans more questionable.

• Questions to ask before you buy.

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.

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 long sales pages can leave you confused and worn out.

• How do you identify possible red flags when you read an about section?

• Key questions to keep in mind when you read testimonials. 

• Why FAQ sections devoted to overcoming money objections should give you pause.

• Value stacking: What is it, and why is the math used often complete BS?

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.

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 should run away entirely? 

In this episode, we're breaking down everything you need to know about those business bundles from how they work, why they're so enticing and what to consider before you buy.

We discuss: 

• What business bundles are and how they work. 

• The potential benefits of business bundles. 

• Business bundle examples and some red flags.

• The psychology behind business bundles and the concept of loss aversion. 

• Questions to ask yourself before you buy a business bundle.

• What to consider if you're invited to participate in a bundle.

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.

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're covering program promises, pain points, and the solution. We discuss:

• The psychology behind using long-form sales pages.

• Examples of the empty promises we often see from group programs. 

• How to identify headlines designed to suck you in,

• The difference between pressing on pain points versus agitating them.

• How to identify red flags when reviewing offered solutions.

• Key takeaways to keep in mind when reading sales pages. 

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.

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 good to hear more discussions about ethical business, certain topics have fallen off the radar. And whether these conversations translate into change still remains to be seen.

In this episode, we're digging into the state of ethical business in 2024 and having a raw conversation about where things really stand. 

We discuss:

• The monetization of burnout and why hustling isn't what it's cracked up to be.

• The sudden pivot from people who used to talk about "the right way to market" to now preaching the opposite. 

• The predictable patterns in the industry and why it's often easy to see what's coming as things shift.

• What we recommend you watch for in the coming months.

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

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 that they can make us more vulnerable to predatory tactics. 

In this episode, we're answering the questions of what parasocial relationships are, how they affect us, and how they're  being weaponized against us?

We discuss:

• What are parasocial relationships?

• The evolution of parasocial relationships.

• How we create these relationships with online content creators.

• The deliberate cultivation of parasocial relationships by celebrities and online business owners.

• The impact of parasocial relationships on consumer behavior.

• What consumers need to be aware of with their parasocial relationships and how it influences buying decisions. 

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.

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, guarantees and refunds so you can save yourself this exact headache and not waste your time or money with people who don't live up to their marketing hype. We discuss:

• The power dynamics around payments

• Why clear and balanced payment-related policies are essential to protect both buyers and sellers.

• Why understanding terms and conditions is crucial.

• Key questions to ask when reviewing terms and conditions.

• Why guarantees can be a slippery slope. 

• What to watch for as a consumer.

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.

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 Patreon and you can listen to the January episode in full where we also cover:

• More thoughts on the Netflix Twin Flame docuseries.
• The Bitconned documentary and how it's so much like online business.
• Did season 3 of The Dream podcast get it right? What did they miss?
• A high-profile example of a business shutdown, and is it legit?
• What we see on Threads, and why are there so many  "your coach first name" accounts?

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 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.

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 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. 

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. 

Online business sells the dream of being financially free to women from all walks of life. And that with a certain amount of money, each of us will have the power to change the world.

Welcome to the fakery of financial feminism, where we're being pushed to play bigger, but are we actually even benefiting? 

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.

Truth time: Growing your audience in 2023 is hard. Yet, the web celebs who are selling you courses about how to create courses, memberships, or programs want you to believe that it is easy. No audience, no problem! 

This is why we wanted to dive into the grift of audience growth on this episode of Duped.

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.

Duped is back!

We wanted to start off this season with a state of the industry, a state of the nation, if you will, on what's going on with online business as we head towards the end of 2023. 

In this episode of Duped, we're giving you a rundown on the state of online business right now and what you should be watching for in the coming months. 

Learn more at duped.online

Have you ever thought that online business seems a lot like a MLM? Well, you're not wrong, the crossover is very real, and it's time we talk about it.

In this episode, we're sitting down with the author of the new book Hey, Hun - Emily Lynn Paulson. 

Want more? Join us on Patreon for bonus and behind-the-scenes content including a discussion with Maggie about her experience as part of a top achiever in a MLM. Join us at patreon.com/duped

Learn more on our website at duped.online

On April 24th, Matthew McConaughey hosted an online event called The Art of Livin'. While events like these are nothing new in the online business world, what made this one different was the magnitude and scale, with 2 million people attending the event. 

This exposed a whole new level of online shenanigans, had people buzzing, and caused a massive impact in the online community, so, OF COURSE, we needed to break this down and get into what all the hype was about. 

Check out this teaser for our breakdown of the red flag parade that was The Art of Livin' event.

If you want to hear the whole episode — and more behind-the-scenes content — hit us up on Patreon: patreon.com/duped

Disclaimer: The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed are our own. The material and information presented here is for general information purposes only. There is no implied endorsement of or opposition to any specific organization, product, or service.

Here's a quick sneak peek of our Patreon bonus episode on the book The Millionaire Messenger. This book is ground zero for a lot of the BS in the online business industry and we read it so you don't have to. 

WANT MORE? Join the Patreon for $7 per month: 
https://www.patreon.com/duped

The jig is up, and now you realize that the coach or course you signed up for is not what it seems, and you want out. You want your money back. You want them out of your life. 

In this episode, we'll look at your options if you've been scammed and answer the question, now what? 

Want more? Join us on Patreon for bonus and behind-the-scenes content. Find us at patreon.com/duped

Learn more on our website at duped.online

Online business is steeped in manifestation talk, especially regarding money. But should you believe what your coach tells you about how investing in their high ticket mastermind is a way to accomplish your goals by betting on yourself? Are you missing some secret way of making money and making your dreams come true?

In this episode, we're digging into manifestation, including the gaslighting and grifting that's everywhere.

Want more? Join us on Patreon for bonus and behind-the-scenes content. Find us at patreon.com/duped

Learn more on our website at duped.online

"I'm an award-winning entrepreneur. I'm the author of Wall Street Journal Bestseller." 

Are these claims actually real, or is the business owner who touts such things sitting on a "throne of lies" because nowadays authority and expertise can be bought? It's probably one of the easiest ways to scam consumers. 

In this episode of Duped, we break down different authority scams so you can make the best purchasing decisions.

Want more? Join us on Patreon for bonus and behind-the-scenes content. Find us at patreon.com/duped

Learn more on our website at duped.online

From mystery offers to cash months, the online coaching world is full of sketchy and scammy things. 

In this episode, we're discussing some of the coaching scams that are happening right now in the online business world and how to ensure you're not getting sucked in. 

Want more? Join us on Patreon for bonus and behind-the-scenes content. Find us at patreon.com/duped

Learn more on our website at duped.online

If I can do it, you can do it too. Teach what you know. If you've lived it, you can sell it. 

All of these are common marketing messages that basically say, "hey anyone can have a business." And if you don't have a ton of expertise, that's not a problem - except it is a problem. The Rise of the Fake Expert is one of the leading causes of being duped. So let's break it down on this episode of Duped.

Want more? Join us on Patreon for bonus and behind-the-scenes content. Find us at patreon.com/duped

Learn more on our website at duped.online

Talk about making a million dollars with your business inescapable. But how realistic is it really? In this episode, we're looking at the myth of the million-dollar business, the data behind it, and if these promises are scamming us.

Are you ready? Because this week, we're going to explore something so familiar in online business, but it's incredibly scammy.

We're talking about the myth of the million-dollar business. 

Want more? Join us on Patreon for bonus and behind-the-scenes content. Find us at patreon.com/duped

Learn more on our website at duped.online