<description>&lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;Everywhere you look in online business, someone's promising the moon — a 6-figure month, a personality overhaul, maybe even a cellular glow-up.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;But here's the real question: are these programs actually delivering or just selling hype?&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;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).&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p dir="ltr"&gt;Topics discussed in this episode:&lt;/p&gt; &lt;ul&gt; &lt;li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"&gt; &lt;p dir="ltr" role="presentation"&gt;How online programs went from "helpful promises" to hype machines.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;/li&gt; &lt;li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"&gt; &lt;p dir="ltr" role="presentation"&gt;The psychology that makes big claims so tempting.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;/li&gt; &lt;li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"&gt; &lt;p dir="ltr" role="presentation"&gt;Red flags that signal a promise you shouldn't trust.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;/li&gt; &lt;li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"&gt; &lt;p dir="ltr" role="presentation"&gt;How to spot real value vs. dream-selling.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;/li&gt; &lt;li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"&gt; &lt;p dir="ltr" role="presentation"&gt;What ethical, grounded promises look like.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;/li&gt; &lt;/ul&gt; &lt;p&gt;For detailed show notes and links to everything mentioned in this episode, please visit &lt;a href= "http://www.duped.online"&gt;duped.online.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;For more Duped, including monthly bonus episodes, &lt;a href="https://www.patreon.com/duped"&gt;join the Patreon.&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/p&gt;</description>

Duped: The Dark Side of Online Business

Michelle Mazur and Maggie Patterson

The Grift of Program Promises

NOV 17, 202538 MIN
Duped: The Dark Side of Online Business

The Grift of Program Promises

NOV 17, 202538 MIN

Description

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.