🕵️♂️ How to Avoid Getting Scammed by a "Marketing Expert"
- AMS Digital
- Apr 13
- 3 min read
Estimated Read Time: 6 minutes (longer if you're texting your "Facebook ads guy" while reading this)
Let’s be honest. The digital marketing world is the Wild West - full of self-proclaimed "gurus," Fiverr wizards, and agencies that charge $5,000 to post your lunch special and forget your password. If you’ve ever been ghosted by someone who called themselves a "branding ninja," received an SEO report filled with buzzwords and rainbow graphs, or been promised that you’ll "go viral overnight," you may have encountered a marketing scammer in the wild.
At AMS Digital, we’ve cleaned up more digital disasters than we care to count. We’ve helped med spas, real estate agents, law firms, restaurants, and even confused dentists recover from shady campaigns and half-built websites. So grab a snack and let’s walk through how to spot the red flags before you hand over your login info (or your soul).
🚩 1. They Guarantee the Impossible
"We’ll get you to #1 on Google in a week!" Sure, and I’ll have six-pack abs by Monday.
No one can guarantee search rankings or viral content. Not your cousin who “knows a guy,” not the guy who slid into your DMs, and definitely not the one offering “SEO magic” for $49.
What to do: Ask for real case studies with timelines, not fairy tales. Bonus points if the agency admits Google is an unpredictable beast.
🚩 2. Everything Is a "Secret Sauce"
If they can’t tell you what they’re doing because it’s “proprietary” or “too advanced,” that’s code for “we’re making it up as we go.”
What to do: Ask for a clear list of deliverables. Good marketers explain things like humans, not Harry Potter characters.
🚩 3. They Own Everything You Paid For
Some sneaky agencies build your website, run your ads, and then register everything under their name. If you leave, they keep it - like a toxic ex but with domain control.
What to do: Make sure YOU own your domain, your ad account, your Google profile, your email list, and your data. If you’re footing the bill, you keep the keys.
🚩 4. Reports That Make You Feel Dumb
If they send you reports with 47 charts, 12 buzzwords, and no explanation, congratulations - you’ve received the digital equivalent of a magic show.
What to do: Ask for reports you can actually understand. If your impressions are up but your leads are still on vacation, something's off.
🚩 5. They Push Services That Make Zero Sense
You own a local law firm and they’re pitching you TikTok dances? You run a med spa and they suggest Snapchat filters?
What to do: Ask how each strategy connects to your actual business goals. If it sounds like they’re just throwing spaghetti at the wall, move on.
🚩 6. They Vanish After You Pay
One minute they’re texting you every hour. The next minute? Poof. They’re gone like your ad budget.
What to do: Work with agencies that show up, report regularly, and don’t ghost after the invoice clears. Red flag if you have to summon them like a spirit.
✅ How to Spot a Real Deal (Like Us)
They talk like humans, not hype machines
They show work, not just fancy decks
They explain where your money’s going
They track what matters (calls, bookings, sales)
They admit when something flops - and fix it
They help you understand marketing without making you feel like you need a PhD
Whether you run a restaurant, clean homes, fix smiles, or sell houses, marketing should help you grow - not leave you confused, broke, and holding a Canva login you don’t remember creating.
At AMS Digital, we keep it honest, helpful, and hilarious (when appropriate). No smoke. No mirrors. Just smart strategy and zero scams.
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