$11,000 a week.That's how much a recent email that reached my inbox claimed I could earn if I bought the penny stocks it was pumping. I didn't fall for the trap, but there are many out there who are lured by the promises of preposterous gains from penny stocks. In reality, the odds of losing money in penny stocks are huge for several obvious reasons, and you're better off avoiding them.Instead, look out for stocks that have strong upside potential without the many risks that penny stocks carry.