🎯 Stranger-only revenue (no friends/family asks)
Goal: money from people you don’t know — free tool traffic → $5 Family Scam Defense Kit or on-site tip. Full cold-launch pack: hub/launch.html · Shop: /tools/shop/
1. Show HN + Product Hunt — largest free stranger spikes for tools. Copy is pre-written in launch pack.
2. Tool directories — Uneed, SaaSHub, AlternativeTo, ToolFinder (backlinks + browsers who buy utilities).
3. Reddit value replies — r/Scams etc. Help first, link ScamCheck second. Kit sells on-site after they get a score — never pitch $ in the comment.
4. SEO landings — /scams/* + shop in sitemap/IndexNow. Strangers searching “is this USPS text a scam”.
5. When a stranger pays — PayPal note
Family-Scam-Defense-Kit or Mochi tip → log in admin treats + video notes.Income ladder (turn on in order)
Now — $1 / $5 Mochi treats · PayPal + Venmo on every tool after value. $5 = “week of treats.” Frame as optional gratitude, not a paywall.
At ~500 visits/mo — AdSense · Only on blog/guides, not ScamCheck results. Scam victims + ads = bad vibe.
At ~1k visits/mo — Affiliates · Bitwarden, Aura, or YNAB links on password/subscription tools. Sign up at their partner programs.
At ~5k visits/mo — Sponsored embed · Credit unions pay $50–200/mo for co-branded ScamCheck button on their site.
What works on free-tool sites (research snapshot)
- Tip after value — ask once the tool already helped (we now do this on ScamCheck results)
- Multiple amounts — $1 default + $5 pack raises average gift size
- Launch platforms — PH / Show HN beat idle waiting for SEO in week 1
- Reddit = trust, not cash — never tip-beg; earn saves/shares, tip happens on-site
- Ko-fi / BMC — optional later; you already have PayPal/Venmo (lower friction)
Reddit (highest ROI for ScamCheck traffic)
Post as helpful comment when someone shares a suspicious text. Subs: r/Scams · r/personalfinance · r/agingparents · r/technology
I paste suspicious texts into this free checker before clicking anything — gives you a 0–99 risk score in seconds, no signup: https://www.yoyosup.com/tools/scamcheck/?ref=reddit
Not perfect, but faster than guessing. Forward it to parents — they're the main target for smishing.
Facebook / family group chat
Post in family group, Nextdoor, or church newsletter.
Hey family — if you get a weird text about a package, bank alert, or IRS problem: DON'T tap the link.
Paste the whole message here first (free, 10 seconds): https://www.yoyosup.com/tools/scamcheck/?ref=facebook
Please forward to Mom and Dad 💛
Nextdoor (local scams spike traffic)
Heads up neighbors — package delivery scam texts are going around again (fake USPS $1.99 fee links).
Free tool to check any suspicious text before you click: https://www.yoyosup.com/tools/scamcheck/?ref=nextdoor
No app, no signup. Stay safe out there.
Show HN / Product Hunt (one-time spike)
Show HN: ScamCheck – paste suspicious texts, get instant 0–99 scam score (free, no signup)
Built after my parents almost fell for a USPS smishing text. Runs client-side pattern matching + action plan. Also: subscription audit, password crack-time, public IP.
https://www.yoyosup.com/tools/scamcheck/?ref=hackernews
Product Hunt: submit at producthunt.com/posts/new · category: Developer Tools or Productivity
Free tool directories (submit once)
- Google Search Console — add sitemap:
yoyosup.com/tools/sitemap.xml - Bing Webmaster Tools — same sitemap
- AlternativeTo — list as scam checker alternative
- SaaSHub — free tools directory
- ToolFinder
- Uneed
Embed on community sites
Email libraries, senior centers, credit unions. Use embed page. Offer custom ?ref=theirname tracking.
Mochi angle (pet Twitter / Instagram / TikTok)
My cat Mochi supervises a free scam text checker so strangers don't get robbed.
Paste any suspicious SMS → instant risk score: https://www.yoyosup.com/tools/scamcheck/?ref=mochi
She accepts treats. 🐾 [attach surprise mochi photo]
Track what works
Every link uses ?ref= — check sources in admin dashboard. Double down on whatever ref grows.