The first seven points were orignally made by The Chronicle Review's Robert L. Park in the context of "bogus science" but some of them apply equally well to the get-rich-now schemes, miracle weight loss plans, and Nigerian scams:

1. The discoverer pitches the claim directly to the media.
   [ or in the case of a get-rich-now scheme, directly to the public via e-mail or a website ]
2. The discoverer says that a powerful establishment is trying to suppress the work.
   [ this is a familiar claim; usually some big company or the government is portrayed as someone who "doesn't want you to know"]
3. The effect involved is always at the very limit of detection.
   [ just like there is never a good picture of Big Foot, there is never any way to find out what the scheme is until after you have handed over some of your money. ]
4. Evidence is anecdotal.
   [ this the heart of many infomercials. It is such a common technique we don't even bother to wonder how much people are being paid to tell the story ]
5. The discoverer says a belief is credible because it has endured for centuries.
   [ this technique often comes at the very beginning of a pitch for miracle medicines ]
6. The discoverer has worked in isolation.
7. The discoverer must propose new laws of nature to explain an observation.

Get-rich-now schemes usually add a few more:

8. Create a sense of urgency.
   [ How many times have we been told we have to "act now!!!" Otherwise, we will take time to investigate this limited time offer and think it over for a while. ]
9. Create a sense of exclusivity or secrecy.
   [ pssst! Buddy, do you want to buy a Rolex? ]

IBM Technical Journals online