The above is from a 1936 cartoon called “The Cobweb Hotel.”

I doubt if 1 in 10,000 people have heard of it.

But it’s kind of a helpful resource if you’re tempted to buy the latest goo-roo-of-the-week’s “killer” mega-expensive marketing course.

Here’s what I mean:

Back when I worked for “the man” duplicating videos, we had a client that sold these old, vintage cartoons rarely ever seen on TV anymore.

One of these cartoons was “The Cobweb Hotel.”

It was about newly-wed flies who go to stay at a makeshift “hotel” run by a hungry spider.

He was one sharp cookie, too.

This devious spider did everything from disguising his true “form” to putting a sign outside the hotel that said “For Flies Only” (nice target marketing) to giving exceptionally good customer service.

And his “customers” never knew what hit them.

As soon as these flies laid down in their comfy little beds (made of sticky spider webs), they were instantly stuck and at the blood-thirsty spider’s mercy.

It’s a lot like today’s Internet marketing shenanigans.

You know of what I speaketh, yeah?

The people constantly peddling “must have” how-to-make-big-bux-on-the-Internet products by putting on a great show (using all the sexy marketing tricks) and then — WHAM! — whacking peoples’ credit cards in exchange for a high priced box of junk filled with information just slightly different than their LAST product.

My point?

There are LOTS of “Cobweb Hotels” online.

Especially in the “how to make muney online” niches.

Before getting seduced by the latest marketing rock star’s song and dance, make sure you’re not dealing with just another two-bit spider herding flies into his web.

I mean, let’s face it:

Time is short and we’re in some spooky economic times.

And while I don’t have a crystal ball, I suspect the smart marketers will make out like bandits in the coming months, while everyone else suffers the same fate as the Cobweb Hotel flies:

Scared, vulnerable and screaming for help.

Ben Settle

P.S. For 101+ ways to avoid being a trapped little fly, check out: