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Unless you’re already a millionaire, you might be interested in finding ways to make more money and increase your net worth so you can join the ranks of the rich. You may even be tempted to participate in a get-rich-quick scheme to achieve your goals.

But hold on a minute: Get-rich-quick schemes attract people with the lure of easy money, but all too often, they create more financial problems instead of solving them.

Understanding these scams can help you avoid them — and avoid getting scammed by fraudsters.

What Is a Get-Rich-Quick Scheme?

Generally speaking, a get-rich-quick scheme is any plan or strategy that promises to put large amounts of money in your bank account for little to no investment. The term “get rich quick” has a less than desirable connotation, since these ventures often fail to live up to their claims.

It’s not uncommon to see get rich-quick-schemes advertised or promoted using language that’s designed to pique consumers’ interest. For example, you might come across a social media influencer that promises to help you “make money while you sleep” or “make money instantly without paying anything.”

That type of wording is often a red flag, and it may be a sign that a get-rich-quick scheme is actually a thinly veiled scam.

Get-rich-quick schemers can also take a more subtle approach and make promises that seem legitimate when taken at face value. Student loan forgiveness scams that claim to be able to help you wipe out student debt in exchange for a fee are a great example of this (you’ll learn more examples of these traps in a minute).

Recommended: 8 Common Online Bank Scams and How to Avoid Them

How Do Get-Rich-Quick Schemes Work?

Get-rich-quick schemes work by drawing people in and using some type of financial incentive as bait. Potential victims may be told that they’ll be able to make a large amount of money very quickly if they just pay a fee or make an initial investment. Or they’ll be told that they can get their debts eliminated for much less than what they owe.

In other cases, a get-rich-quick scheme is a major money scam that’s designed to get people to part with their hard-earned money in exchange for a product or service that will supposedly help them make more money. The purpose of this type of scheme is to get people to purchase something; the individual who’s hawking it can then make money themselves. Put simply, you are unlikely to benefit financially.

Using social media influencers as an example again, an influencer might promote a book or a course that teaches a “proven” system for how to make money online. They encourage their followers to buy the book or course and suggest that if they do so, they’ll be able to grow their income and get rich.

What their followers may not realize is that the influencer is likely getting paid for that promotion. Their posts may be sponsored by the book author or course creator. Or perhaps they’re earning affiliate commissions for referring people to the products. If the influencer convinces enough people to buy whatever it is they’re selling, they might get rich quick while their followers may not.

Technically, influencers and bloggers are required to disclose paid relationships to their audience. But disclosure alone doesn’t convey any guarantee that the product they’re promoting will work the way they say it will. So people buy in, expecting results that they may or may not see.

Recommended: How To Make Money Even With No Job

Are Get-Rich-Quick Schemes Illegal?

Get-rich-quick schemes themselves are not outlawed, though there are numerous regulations that attempt to protect consumers from scammers. As mentioned, influencers are required to disclose relationships they have with the brands that they promote. The Truth in Advertising Act exists to prevent companies or individuals from making false or misleading claims when advertising products and services. Advertisers must also be able to back up the claims they make with scientific evidence, when appropriate.

Whether a get-rich-quick scheme falls within legal boundaries or is illegal can largely depend on the nature of the scheme. Multi-level marketing (MLM) is a great example. What is an MLM? In simple terms, it’s a business structure in which people earn commissions by selling products or services to friends and family members. Mary Kay and Avon are two well-known examples of multi-level marketing operations that are legit.

MLMs are not illegal, but pyramid schemes are. What’s known as a pyramid scheme can resemble an MLM, but the difference is that all the money is made by bringing new people into the program. The person who recruited a new participant earns money by charging them an entry or registration fee or perhaps an introductory product package of some sort. The higher up you are in the pyramid, the more money you can make.

A Ponzi scheme is another type of illegal get rich quick scheme. In a Ponzi scheme, the person or persons at the top promise investors they can double or triple their money. They take the investors’ money and keep it for themselves, paying out nominal amounts to people who invested earlier in the scheme. The scheme can keep going — and continue making the people at the top rich — as long as new investors keep joining. Bernie Madoff, the convicted financial fraudster, was notorious for running one of the largest Ponzi schemes in history.

Recommended: Avoiding Mobile Deposit Scams, Fakes, and Hacks

Examples of Get-Rich-Quick Schemes

Get-rich-quick schemes can take many different forms, and it isn’t always easy to recognize them for what they are. Some of the most common examples of legal (and illegal) get-rich-quick schemes include:

•   MLMs and pyramid schemes disguised as MLMs

•   Work-at-home scams that promise you’ll earn major money

•   Investment scams that promise high returns for very little money

•   Side hustle and online business scams

•   Debt relief and credit repair scams

•   Lottery scams

•   Fake job listing scams

•   Scams related to student loan forgiveness or government benefits

•   Home improvement scams

•   Mystery shopping scams

•   Giveaway or free prize scams

And of course, there’s the ever-enduring “Nigerian prince” scheme. This scam and its many variations promise you a large inheritance, finder’s fee, or compensation in exchange for accepting a deposit into your bank account. Scammers, who claim to be royalty (perhaps hoping that will impress their target and sound legitimate), ask that once you receive the deposit, you send part of the money back to them and keep the rest.

In reality, the scammer is trying to trick you into handing over your bank information, so they can try to use your account number and routing number to cheat you. Or else they ask you to wire them a small amount to cover processing fees before they can send the money along to you. It’s an ongoing get-rich-quick scheme that unfortunately continues to collect victims.

Are Get-Rich-Quick Schemes Reliable?

A get-rich-quick scheme can make lots of promises, but they generally fall short when it comes to the delivery. What you can usually count on with a get-rich-quick scheme is that you’ll lose money if you participate. That’s because that’s how these schemes are designed to operate.

Getting money for nothing sounds attractive, and so it’s easy to fall victim to influencer schemes when you see the lavish lives they lead on social media. But there’s a significant difference between rich vs. wealthy and, again, there’s no guarantee that any get-rich-quick scheme will produce the results you want.

Even if you don’t lose money outright, you may only get a small return on investment. Or it can take much longer to see results. For example, say you’re interested in becoming a blogger so you can quit your full-time job. You see a popular writing course advertised by lots of different bloggers who claim to be making six figures a year.

You buy the course, believing that in exchange for your payment of just $497 you’ll soon be on your way to making $10,000 or more each month from home. Except you complete the course and don’t see instant results. In fact, it takes you more than three years to build up your business to the point where you’re making any kind of steady income.

You might eventually get rich, but there’s no “quick” about it. That’s why get-rich-quick schemes are so problematic. They rely on people looking for a shortcut to easy money, despite the reality that building one’s income and net worth typically takes years.

Recommended: Are You Bad with Money? Here’s How to Get Better

Tips to Spot a Get-Rich-Quick Scheme

Identifying a get-rich-quick scam isn’t always easy since some scammers can be so convincing and seem so sincere. And in some cases, schemes for quick riches are based on legitimate ways to make or invest money. If you’re worried about getting conned by a get-rich-quick schemer, here are some of the ways to spot a scam in action.

Upfront Payment

A request for upfront payment is often a dead giveaway that a scam is afoot. Email phishing scams like the “Nigerian prince” scheme are a great example. There are some common credit card scams that fall into this category as well. These scams make false claims about being able to raise your credit scores overnight or wipe out credit card debt instantly, as long as you pay their fee first.

Misleading Headlines With False Claims

Scammers often use clickbait-y headlines to grab consumers’ attention. They can make claims that are grandiose or outright false to get you to click and check out their product or service. You may not realize how misleading those claims are until you’ve bought into the scheme.

Secret Tips and Information

Another tactic scammers may use to get your attention is to tell you they have insider information that they’re willing to share with you to help you get rich. Of course, you’ll only be able to access those secret tips once you’ve purchased something or paid them a fee. It’s particularly important to be wary of those so-called secrets when it comes to investing, since insider trading is illegal.

“100% Success Rate Guaranteed!”

Scammers may also use language that suggests that everyone who’s ever used their product or service has seen success or that success is guaranteed. That could fall under the heading of misleading information in violation of the Truth in Advertising Act. And even if it’s technically true that the success rate is 100%, the results may not be the same for everyone.

Recommended: 8 Ways to Make Your Money Work For You

If It Sounds Too Good to Be True

Here’s perhaps the easier rule for spotting a get-rich-quick scam: if something seems too good to be true, it probably is, as the saying goes. Attempting to fact-check or verify claims that someone is making about a product or service can help to weed out scammers. If you can’t verify any of the claims they’re making, that’s a sign to be wary of their statements.

Going to Trusted Sources, Not Influencers or Celebrities

Influencers and celebrities can make a lot of money promoting products or services that are designed to help you get rich. But again, they may be getting paid for that promotion, so they can’t be considered a reliable source.

Researching get-rich-quick offers through trusted sources is important for separating fact from fiction. For example, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) can be a great resource for reading up on the latest scams targeting consumers.

Unwilling to Share Their Business Model

Transparency is key to rooting out get-rich-quick scammers. Let’s say someone claims to be able to help you make $10,000 by starting your own business from home but is unwilling to tell you how they do it. That’s a sign that you might not want to take them at their word.

“You Do Not Need Any Experience!”

Wouldn’t it be nice if you could make a fortune with no prior experience or knowledge? That’s the hope upon which some get-rich-quick fraudsters capitalize. While there are legitimate ways to make money that don’t necessarily require years of experience, scammers can use that to persuade people to buy into a product or service that leaves you holding the bag. Or they can twist their wording to make it seem like you can make money even without experience, when really, there’s a steep learning curve involved.

Recommended: 6 Money Habits to Develop Financial Success

Alternatives to Get-Rich-Quick Schemes

Getting rich overnight probably isn’t the cards for most people, unless they happen to win the lottery or a wealthy relative passes away and leaves them a huge inheritance. If you want to get rich (or become wealthy), you’ll most likely need to put in some effort and give it some time.

Here are some legitimate wealth-building alternatives to get-rich-quick schemes:

•   Starting and growing a business

•   Using side hustles to supplement your income

•   Asking for a raise or promotion at work

•   Moving to a higher-paying job with a different company

•   Reducing spending and paying down debt

•   Investing money consistently

•   Working with a financial advisor or wealth manager

Admittedly, these ideas may seem a lot more boring and difficult than get-rich-quick schemes. But they’re all proven ways to increase financial stability and raise your net worth.

Banking With SoFi

Trying to get rich can be a lofty and elusive goal, but you can certainly take steps to improve your financial situation. Keeping your money in the right bank account can be a great place to start.

Interested in opening an online bank account? When you sign up for a SoFi Checking and Savings account with eligible direct deposit, you’ll get a competitive annual percentage yield (APY), pay zero account fees, and enjoy an array of rewards, such as access to the Allpoint Network of 55,000+ fee-free ATMs globally. Qualifying accounts can even access their paycheck up to two days early.

Better banking is here with SoFi, NerdWallet’s 2024 winner for Best Checking Account Overall.* Enjoy 3.30% APY on SoFi Checking and Savings with eligible direct deposit.

FAQ

Can get-rich-quick schemes be good?

Get-rich-quick schemes often require you to pay money for an investment or product that claims to help you grow your wealth immediately. Typically, though, the results you get can be very different from what you expect. In other words, they are unlikely to be good.

How many businesses are considered get-rich-quick schemes?

There are no definitive statistics on how many businesses are considered to be get-rich-quick schemes. Multi-level marketing companies and direct sales companies often get labeled as get-rich-quick operations, even when those businesses are legitimate. This makes hard numbers difficult to find.

What can I do if I have fallen for a get-rich-quick scheme?

If you’ve fallen for a scam, try to minimize or limit your losses by not funneling any more money into the scheme. If you believe the scheme is illegal, you can report it to the Federal Trade Commission. You could also file a police report and report the scheme to your state attorney general’s office. If a scammer tricked you into handing over your banking or financial information, alert your bank to monitor your account for potentially fraudulent transactions. You may also need to update your login details for financial websites.

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*Awards or rankings from NerdWallet are not indicative of future success or results. This award and its ratings are independently determined and awarded by their respective publications.

Annual percentage yield (APY) is variable and subject to change at any time. Rates are current as of 3/31/26. There is no minimum balance requirement. Fees may reduce earnings. Additional rates and information can be found at https://www.sofi.com/legal/banking-rate-sheet

Eligible Direct Deposit means a recurring deposit of regular income to an account holder’s SoFi Checking or Savings account, including payroll, pension, or government benefit payments (e.g., Social Security), made by the account holder’s employer, payroll or benefits provider or government agency (“Eligible Direct Deposit”) via the Automated Clearing House (“ACH”) Network every 31 calendar days.

Although we do our best to recognize all Eligible Direct Deposits, a small number of employers, payroll providers, benefits providers, or government agencies do not designate payments as direct deposit. To ensure you're earning the APY for account holders with Eligible Direct Deposit, we encourage you to check your APY Details page the day after your Eligible Direct Deposit posts to your SoFi account. If your APY is not showing as the APY for account holders with Eligible Direct Deposit, contact us at 855-456-7634 with the details of your Eligible Direct Deposit. As long as SoFi Bank can validate those details, you will start earning the APY for account holders with Eligible Direct Deposit from the date you contact SoFi for the next 31 calendar days. You will also be eligible for the APY for account holders with Eligible Direct Deposit on future Eligible Direct Deposits, as long as SoFi Bank can validate them.

Deposits that are not from an employer, payroll, or benefits provider or government agency, including but not limited to check deposits, peer-to-peer transfers (e.g., transfers from PayPal, Venmo, Wise, etc.), merchant transactions (e.g., transactions from PayPal, Stripe, Square, etc.), and bank ACH funds transfers and wire transfers from external accounts, or are non-recurring in nature (e.g., IRS tax refunds), do not constitute Eligible Direct Deposit activity. There is no minimum Eligible Direct Deposit amount required to qualify for the stated interest rate. SoFi Bank shall, in its sole discretion, assess each account holder's Eligible Direct Deposit activity to determine the applicability of rates and may request additional documentation for verification of eligibility.

See additional details at https://www.sofi.com/legal/banking-rate-sheet.
Financial Tips & Strategies: The tips provided on this website are of a general nature and do not take into account your specific objectives, financial situation, and needs. You should always consider their appropriateness given your own circumstances.

Third-Party Brand Mentions: No brands, products, or companies mentioned are affiliated with SoFi, nor do they endorse or sponsor this article. Third-party trademarks referenced herein are property of their respective owners.

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Editor's Note: Options are not suitable for all investors. Options involve risks, including substantial risk of loss and the possibility an investor may lose the entire amount invested in a short period of time. Please see the Characteristics and Risks of Standardized Options.

Vanilla options are put or call contracts that give traders the right to buy or sell an underlying asset at a predetermined price before a set expiration date. The most basic type of options contracts, vanilla options follow standard contract terms (e.g., fixed expiration dates and strike prices) and are traded on exchanges like the Chicago Board Options Exchange (CBOE). This is in contrast to exotic options which allow for more customization and are generally traded over-the-counter (OTC) through a broker-dealer network.

Vanilla Option Definition

The term “vanilla options” refers to standard contracts in options trading. They come with fixed features, including expiration dates, strike prices, and contract sizes.

What Are Options Contracts?

Buying an option is purchasing a contract that represents the right, though not the obligation, to buy or sell an underlying security at a fixed price (the strike price) by a specified date (the expiration).

•   The options buyer (or holder) has the right, but not the obligation, to buy or sell the underlying asset (e.g. stock shares) at a certain price by the expiration date of the contract. Buyers pay a premium for each option contract; this is the cost of the option.

•   The options seller (or writer), who is on the opposite side of the trade, has the obligation to fulfill the contract terms, such as selling or buying the underlying asset at the agreed-upon price (i.e. strike price) if the options holder exercises their contract.

What Are Exotic Options?

To understand what makes an exotic option exotic, let’s review a traditional vanilla options contract and how it works.

When trading a traditional option, the owner can buy or sell the underlying security for an agreed-upon price, either before or at the option’s expiration date. The holder is not, however, obligated to exercise the option, hence the name.

An exotic option typically has all of those features, but with complex variations in the times when the option can be exercised, as well as in the ways investors calculate the payoff. For those features, they typically charge a higher price than traditional options. Also, unlike standard vanilla options which are traded on an exchange, exotic options are usually traded in over-the-counter (OTC) markets.


💡 Quick Tip: Before opening any investment account, consider what level of risk you are comfortable with. If you’re not sure, start with more conservative investments, and then adjust your portfolio as you learn more.

What are the Different Types of Vanilla Options?

There are two types of vanilla options: calls and puts.

Calls

A call option allows an investor to buy 100 shares of an underlying stock or other security at the agreed-upon strike price. A call option gives a buyer a way of profiting from a stock’s price increase without having to purchase the underlying 100 shares. The call buyer only pays a premium per share, which is much lower than the price of the stock.

The profit from a call option is determined by both the premium an investor pays and whether they’re able to exercise the option to buy the underlying asset at the lower strike price. (On the opposite side of the trade, the call writer is obligated to sell the buyer the shares if they decide to exercise.)

A call option buyer can also sell the call option for a premium. By selling the option itself, an investor doesn’t have to take delivery of the underlying shares and may profit from the increasing value of the option.

Note: If the price of the stock falls instead of rises, the maximum loss for the buyer is limited to the cost of the premium paid. However, the potential loss for the option writer can be substantial — theoretically unlimited — since the stock price could continue rising with no cap.

Puts

A put option is essentially the inverse of a call option. Instead of giving the buyer the right to purchase an asset at a fixed price, a put allows the buyer to sell an asset at a fixed price before expiration. Investors may buy puts to try to profit from a stock’s decline, or to hedge against losses on stocks they already own.

For example, if a stock’s price declines before the option’s expiration and falls below the strike price, the buyer can exercise the option, selling the stock for a higher price than the market price. Their profit is reduced by the premium paid for the option.

Protective puts involve purchasing a put option while simultaneously holding shares of the underlying stock. This strategy ensures the investor can sell at a predetermined price even if the stock declines, limiting potential losses. If the stock price rises, they still benefit from the gains, minus the cost of the put premium.

Puts do come with risk. If the stock price rises instead of falls, the put option expires worthless and the buyer’s maximum loss is limited to the premium paid. The put writer, however, faces substantial losses if the stock price plummets.

Recommended: Popular Options Trading Terminology to Know

Characteristics of Vanilla Options

Like all investments, purchasing vanilla options carries a level of risk and volatility. Option buyers risk losing the entire premium paid if the option expires worthless. Call writers risk unlimited losses since stock prices could rise indefinitely, while put writers may be forced to buy the asset at the strike price even if the market price is significantly lower.

Premiums

Whether you are interested in buying a vanilla call or put, you will pay a premium in addition to what you would pay to purchase the stock with the call (should you choose to exercise the option). The premium is nonrefundable, so if you don’t exercise the option, you’ve lost what you paid for the premium.

Volatility

The volatility of an option determines its price. Higher volatility generally results in a higher premium because there is more opportunity for a profit (as well as the risk of loss).

Risk Level

Like most other types of investments, buying options are not without risk. If a stock is lower in price on the market than a call option, the option is worthless. And if a stock has a higher price on the market, the put option won’t net more return on investment.

However, a vanilla option may sometimes be less risky than buying a stock outright for buyers, since the only thing you’re guaranteed to spend is premium. For option writers, however, the risk can be significantly higher. A call writer faces potentially unlimited losses if the stock price keeps rising, while a put writer may be forced to buy the asset at the strike price, even if the market value is significantly lower.

Pros and Cons of Vanilla Options Trading

Options trading is complex and involves risks, but for experienced investors who understand the fundamentals, options can be a useful tool for hedging, income, or straight speculation — as long as you know the risks.

Pros

•   Options trading allows investors to put up a smaller amount of money upfront, which can help minimize potential losses. For buyers, the maximum risk is limited to the premium paid for the option.

•   Selling options allows the writers to collect premiums, although there is the risk of significant losses. (Again, when selling a call option, potential losses can be unlimited if the underlying asset’s price continues to rise with no cap.)

•   Some investors offset risk with options. For instance, buying a put option while also owning the underlying stock allows the options holder to lock in a selling price, for a specified period of time, in case the security declines in value, thereby limiting potential losses.

Cons of Options Trading

•   A key risk in trading options is that losses can be outsized relative to the cost of the contract. When an option is exercised, the seller of the option is obligated to buy or sell the underlying asset, even if the market is moving against them.

•   While premium costs are generally low, they can still add up. The cost of options premiums can eat away at an investor’s profits.

•   Because options expire within a specific time window, there is only a short period of time for an investor’s thesis to play out. Securities, like stocks, do not have expiration dates.

Examples of Vanilla Options

If you’re considering vanilla options as part of your options trading strategy, here are a few examples to illustrate how they work for both calls and puts.

Example of a Vanilla Call Option

A call option allows you to purchase a stock at a certain price within a specified time period. Bullish investors who expect a stock to go up in price typically purchase call options.

For our example, let’s say you’re interested in a stock that trades at $53 per share, and you can buy a call option with a strike price of $55 per share. The premium for the option is $0.15 per share, or $15 total for 100 shares of the stock.

Your breakeven point is the strike price plus the premium. In this case, that would be $55.15. If the stock trades above this price, your option is profitable. Let’s say that, after two weeks, the stock is trading at $59 per share. It is now “in the money” because the market price exceeds the strike price.

At this point, you have two choices. You can either exercise the option and buy the shares at $55 per share (and then sell them at the market price of $59 per share), or you can sell the option contract itself based on its intrinsic value (roughly $4 per share or $400 for the contract, less any transaction costs).

Each approach allows you to realize a profit from the rising stock price without owning it outright until you purchase the call option, if you choose to do so.

Example of a Vanilla Put Option

A put can act as a form of insurance, allowing you to protect against losses if the price of the stock you’re holding falls. It’s also one way that investors might short a stock. Here’s an example.

Let’s say you own 100 shares of a stock that is currently trading at $25 per share. You buy a put option at a premium of $1 per share that expires in two months at a strike price of $30. So in total, you paid $100 for a premium for 100 shares.

In a month, the stock price drops to $18 per share. This is a good time to exercise your put option, selling your 100 shares at the strike price of $30 per share, rather than the market price of $18 per share.

The Takeaway

Vanilla options, which are simply standard puts and calls, can be a way to diversify your investment portfolio and potentially hedge against other losses. While investors are not able to sell options on SoFi’s options trading platform at this time, they can buy call and put options to try to benefit from stock movements or manage risk.

SoFi’s options trading platform offers qualified investors the flexibility to pursue income generation, manage risk, and use advanced trading strategies. Investors may buy put and call options or sell covered calls and cash-secured puts to speculate on the price movements of stocks, all through a simple, intuitive interface.

With SoFi Invest® online options trading, there are no contract fees and no commissions. Plus, SoFi offers educational support — including in-app coaching resources, real-time pricing, and other tools to help you make informed decisions, based on your tolerance for risk.

Explore SoFi’s user-friendly options trading platform.

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SoFi Invest is a trade name used by SoFi Wealth LLC and SoFi Securities LLC offering investment products and services. Robo investing and advisory services are provided by SoFi Wealth LLC, an SEC-registered investment adviser. Brokerage and self-directed investing products offered through SoFi Securities LLC, Member FINRA/SIPC.

For disclosures on SoFi Invest platforms visit SoFi.com/legal. For a full listing of the fees associated with Sofi Invest please view our fee schedule.

Options involve risks, including substantial risk of loss and the possibility an investor may lose the entire amount invested in a short period of time. Before an investor begins trading options they should familiarize themselves with the Characteristics and Risks of Standardized Options . Tax considerations with options transactions are unique, investors should consult with their tax advisor to understand the impact to their taxes.

Financial Tips & Strategies: The tips provided on this website are of a general nature and do not take into account your specific objectives, financial situation, and needs. You should always consider their appropriateness given your own circumstances.

Disclaimer: The projections or other information regarding the likelihood of various investment outcomes are hypothetical in nature, do not reflect actual investment results, and are not guarantees of future results.


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