The first thing that caught my eye upon first visiting Money News Online (MNO) wasn’t a banner ad or the daily blog post; it was a small box in the right sidebar, and a simple statement caught my eye, “DON’T PAY MONEY TO SCAMMERS.”

That statement made me read the rest of the little box. I read through the detailed contact information that Paul, the administrator, had listed on the blog page, indicating that he has ONE Liberty Reserve (LR) account, ONE Perfect Money (PM) and ONE Gmail account. It wasn’t the content that appealed to me, but the tone. The text is written in a very direct, straightforward style that says, “I’m here and not shy about it” This is how you find me and please feel free to do so. It set the tone for what I came to expect from Money News Online.

So does the rest of the Money News Online back up the initial impression I received with the contact form? Let’s take a walk through the site to find out. At first glance the blog looks a little busy in my opinion. There are quite a few banner ads, some with motion and in general a lot of stuff going on. But anyone familiar with the HYIP industry will know that numerous advertising slots are normal, in fact I can’t name a site without banner ads in the industry. What you do find out quickly at MNO is the easy uncomplicated navigation and quick access to a lot of information.

When looking at the navigation menu the site is broken into three major categories:

• Blog

• Monitoring

• Forum

On October 31^st 2007, Paul started what has now become his Monitoring Page. It went through a lot of changes through the years, including a major overall just recently around August 3^rd 2010 that changed the page to use an automated script that provides voting capabilities and automatic payment notifications. Monitoring HYIP programs has been something websites have been doing since HYIPs started online, and I will be going into full detail about monitoring soon in a walkthrough article.

The MNO Forum is a recent addition to Money News Online, opened by Paul to give readers a place to discuss the HYIP industry and ask any questions they might have. While it is still in its starting phase, the potential to grow into one of the most influential forums in the industry is present. More information about the MNO Forum can be found on the Major Forums walkthrough.

The blog is the focus of MNO and what differentiates it from other sites in the HYIP industry. MNO is longest established and most successful active blog in the HYIP industry, running since July of 2007 at http://money-news-online.com. The site started small and has grown to the successful source of information it now is. If you have the inclination you can even take a walk back through time by reading through the archives from the beginning.

Paul’s blog and its success has prompted countless knock-off blogs that have attempted, and for the most part failed in following his footsteps to success. I believe the reason most of these blogs fail is the administrators just don’t understand the amount of work required to research and write about the HYIP industry. Daily posting, research, communication with HYIP admins, answering reader’s questions, all of the daily functions of a successful blogger require time and energy. Blogging isn’t a quick and easy road to money. Paul’s dedication to providing his readers information can easily be seen by the number of posts he has accumulated throughout the years.

The blog is designed to provide information easily and quickly for readers. The right hand sidebar has listings of program reviews (in alphabetical order) and interviews with program administrators. As a visitor you will have a very easy time finding what whatever information you are seeking without too much searching.

Let’s dig into to the actual blog posts now. They’re long. Much longer than the “recommended” 500 to 1000 word count most bloggers across the web adhere to. They’re also comprehensive and usually jumble several different topics into one large daily post. Paul lays out all the information in a matter-of-fact way and his style is definitely evident in the structure of his blog. His reviews are based on two things, his opinion and the facts. You’re not going to hear any recommendations or promises about a program from Paul, and this is something I admire.

When dealing with HYIPs, I feel it’s dishonest to recommend a program. High yield investment programs are extremely risky. Potential investors are constantly asking if programs will be successful or asking for recommendations. If Paul (or I) were dishonest, we could recommend programs and reap the benefits from the referrals, but we don’t.

We don’t recommend programs because no one knows if a HYIP program will be successful or if it is a scam. We don’t know if it is a legitimate venture or fraud. If you chose to invest in a HYIP it is your choice, along with all the responsibility of that choice. All we do is tell you all about different programs in the industry, providing facts and some opinions.

Here’s one statement by Paul from one of his MNOFridays articles: “So I guess you should know by now that all HYIPs without exception are ponzi based games.” I’m not going to go into detail about what I think on that topic here, but if a statement like that isn’t honest, then I don’t know what is.

Paul’s reviews are based on simple facts about the programs. He explains in a manner that is easy to understand the basics about the HYIP. Most, if not all, of the information in the review can be found right on the program’s website. Paul just puts it together in a few easy to read paragraphs for you all. The information in itself isn’t anything special and he’s not divulging any secrets, he’s just providing the service of putting all the information in a couple of easy-to-read paragraphs for people interested.

In addition to reviews, Money News Online conducts interviews where various HYIP program administrators have a Q&A (question and answer) session with Paul. The interviews consist of the admin being introduced and simple questions about their HYIP. This part of the site can offer some great insight into the humans behind the various programs. The way they answer questions and the detail they provide gives more decision-making information to potential investors. For example when one admin was asked how he had managed to close most of his programs without the investors losing money he simple responded that he warned the investors before things got too bad. In other words, the admin did not wait until the last minute to close-shop. It’s important to realize that all HYIP administrators have their own agenda in the interview with MNO: to draw investors to their program. The information given by HYIP admin should be taken with caution, as much of it could be untruthful.

The bottom line stated by Money News Online is that you need to approach the HYIP industry with caution. You should second guess everything in the HYIP industry, and again, always proceed with caution. Basically everyone in the industry has an agenda and if you are going to be involved you need to be aware. There is risk with almost every facet of the industry, and you could be scammed by anyone. Payment Processors, Exchangers, HYIPs, all need to be dealt with caution. Everyone will tell you they are safe, but the ultimate safety of your funds is up to you.

In summary Money News Online offers candid and refreshing insight into the HYIP industry. The blog is extensive with many resources to explore and utilize. Whether you are just starting out or are a HYIP veteran Money News Online provides beneficial, up to date information to aid you in you investment decisions. MNO is HYIPBlogger approved as a reliable resource of information, though I’ll leave you with a warning to keep in mind:

Be smart and be on the safe side and remember that everybody in this industry has their own agenda and your task is to find it.

-Paul Abramson 17/09/2010, MNOFridays fifth issue