[pixpox3]

Why is it a scam? This guy is selling an ebook, with a money back guarantee.

Just because you think the book is crappy doesn't mean its a scam. Who cares if Nancy Roberts or whoever doesn't exist, he's just realised that parrot owners from middle America aren't likely to buy a book from a guy called Manupek Chandajee.

[sofal]

If you went up to my grandma and started telling her why she needs to buy a $100 book that tells her how to get rich, with enough convincing she would seriously buy it from you. This is because my grandma is not very money-wise and is especially vulnerable to that kind of thing. I doubt she is particularly unique in this respect among grandmas.

Do you see the problem here? Do you perhaps realize why I might want to discourage salesmen like that from coming in contact with my grandma? Look, it's just a guy selling a book, right? If my grandma decides that she needs it then that's up to her, right?

Why is it hard to understand that there are people out there who can be taken advantage of legally but shouldn't be? There is a point when you cross the line from providing value to taking unfair advantage of others. It's reasonable in the latter case to call it a scam, ebook or no ebook.

[slance]

I see what you mean.

But people buy stupid stuff, it's up to them to decide what they spend their money on, not for some arbiter of fairness to ban products that they think are too expensive or don't provide enough value.

Capitalism isn't ethical, it's morally neutral, if you start banning people from selling books that are too expensive or that you think don't provide the correct information (have you even read it?) then the whole economy doesn't work.

What about razors? They cost $20/£10 and the advertising preys on men who are likely to be convinced of the necessity of "FOUR BLADES!" when in fact it makes no difference at all. They don't have to buy the overpriced razor.

[sofal]

I'm not advocating a ban on that sort of thing. I think that codifying it into some sort of law and forcing it upon everyone else would be the dumbest thing possible. What I'm suggesting is that people like you and I should shun that kind of business behavior voluntarily. It's more of a moral thing, like not being a patent troll.

[hermitcrab]

Making up testimonials and pretending they are from genuine third parties is dishonest. There are no shades of grey here.