Yes they actually believe that the only way people earn through the internet is mostly by scamming or engaging in Ponzi schemes. Even though technology has advanced beyond that and people with the knowledge could earn from the internet, I still don’t blame them because if they Should also join on the internet money making they would easily be scammed since they lack enough knowledge. And this is part of the reason why bitcoin adoption is also not growing in those areas.
Internet has paved a way for plenty new ways to earn money unfortunately most of older generation doesn't understand that, and in less educated people or the ones living in developing nations — to them making money from Internet sounds like alien thing.