Headline read, “Scam-Free Work at Home Jobs! No Experience Necessary! Act now!”
That got me thinking, how many people actually fall for these ads? You know those blatant, in-your-face ads with claims that can\’t be true and “call to actions” that force you to stop whatever you\’re doing to give full attention to this “once-in-a-lifetime offer.”
Let me ask you. Have you ever forked out money for something that sounded like a good product or service to someone who seemed like a nice person and avoided that nagging voice in your head that said, “Sounds too good to be true!?”
You did?
Then what happened? Let me guess. You get the product. It\’s not even close to what was described, doesn\’t do half of what the expert testimonials claimed it would. And, you know that 100% money-back guarantee? It isn\’t worth a dime when the seller goes AWOL.
Then anxiety rushes in and you realize – scam, internet…I\’ve been had.
I\’ll let you in on a little secret. You\’re not alone. A lot of people fall for those ads…hardworking, sensible people who for the most part aren\’t looking to become millionaires. They just want a little slice of their own pie, to take control of their life and provide a comfortable lifestyle for their family.
But the truth is, people do fall for the ads. That\’s why scammers keep running them. And people keep falling for them. And admittedly, I\’ve fallen for them myself.
Let\’s see, there was that home business membership site that was pitched to make you millions and when I finally got the chance to peek inside (after forking over more than a $1000), there was nothing there. No articles, no content, nada…in fact the only thing that was there was an affiliate link to sign up other suckers like me.
And then there was the year-long “search engine domination” service using Web 2.0 methods, promising never-before released marketing techniques and new content added to the site throughout the year. Sure, there was content added to this “bare bones” website, but much of it was generated by users trying out the techniques. Occasionally, there was a lame “inspirational” 5 minute audio clip recorded in the guru\’s car as he was off to put together another deal. Oh, brother. But I should have known something was up when during that first mastermind the “guru” explained call protocol…absolutely no negative comments or the call would end immediately.
How stupid could I be? Turns out, pretty stupid. It wasn\’t enough that I wasted $1500 on this pathetic excuse for a mastermind program, but what really took the cake was when he took an additional $500 from my PayPal account (which I later recovered).
And then there\’s the countless other home business programs stacked up in my office, doing nothing but gathering dust.
So what have I learned over the years that will keep you from becoming a victim to another online home business scam? What can you do to ensure that the next work at home job opportunities pitch is scam-free?
Scam-free Work at Home Jobs Checklist
1. Get to know the Seller
If you\’re unfamiliar with the group that\’s pitching the business opportunity or work at home job, make sure you do some online research. Using your favorite search engine, type in the name of the seller and see what results come back. You can also type in the seller\’s name plus the word “feedback.” Visit forums and blogs in the related industry. Post questions. Ask webmasters. Typically, people are more than happy to provide advice and feedback.
2. Verify Contact Information
Look for a contact link in the navigation menu or in the footer. Legitimate companies have links to real contact information including an email address, business address and phone number. Is there an email address; what kind is it? Be careful if it is a gmail, yahoo, hotmail or other free email account. Legitimate companies usually have their own domain (e.g., businessname.com) though it is no guarantee of legitimacy.
3. Know What You\’re Getting
Request a sneak peek of what you\’re buying. If it\’s an information product, ask to see a sample. If it\’s an ebook, ask for the table of contents. If it\’s an online service or software, maybe there\’s a demo, a trial, or a video review.
4. Pay Using Installments
Frequently more expensive products offer the option of paying with installments. If you\’re unfamiliar with what you\’re buying or from whom you are buying, always choose this option. Although you may end up paying a bit more than the one payment price, it gives you the chance of seeing what you\’re buying, before you risk the entire amount on a product that doesn\’t measure up.
5. Effectively Manage PayPal Subscriptions
If you\’re paying by installments and using PayPal, make sure you cancel the subscription after the final installment. If not, this leaves you open to the risk of unauthorized additional installments taken from your account.
6. Don\’t Use PayPal if Unfamiliar With the Seller or Service
The dispute process is always much easier and the outcome usually much better when you dispute charges with credit card companies vs. PayPal. I don\’t know why. Maybe it\’s because credit card companies have been at it longer; the process is predictable, straightforward. Although PayPal is a great service, this is definitely an area where it needs to improve.
7. Contact When Seller is Unresponsive to Your Complaints
* Better Business Bureau – http://bbb.org
* USPS Fraud Inspection Service – http://www.usps.com/postalinspectors/fraud/
* Federal Trade Commission – http://ftc.gov
If you\’re unable to find the seller\’s contact information (which you\’ll need to file a report with the above agencies), try your PayPal receipt or call PayPal directly, search the WhoIs Lookup (which provides information on domain ownership), review emails you might have received from the guru, or search for the seller\’s name using your favorite search engine.
The #1 guaranteed way of never becoming a victim to a job or business opportunity scam again – know from whom you are buying. If you do your homework and take the necessary steps as outlined above, you can be virtually certain that the “scam-free” work at home jobs you are considering are just that…scam-free.Watch the video related to Work At Home Jobs
Help answer the question about Work At Home Jobs
Are there any legit work at home jobs?I'm looking for work and at-home would be ideal because I have Chronic Fatigue. However, any online job opps seem to be scams that get you to purchase their courses with who knows what outcome. Has anyone found something that is legit, with reasonable expectations? Thanks in advance.
About Author
Since 1997 Susan Smith has been writing about homebased business and scam-free home based work. She is co-founder of Women’s Work – the site for women who mean business, an award-winning site which offers advice, tips, and resources to women who are interested in homebased business opportunities and work from home jobs. For more information check out the Women’s Work video and additional information on scam free work at home jobs. And don’t forget to grab the free report “4 Letter Killer – How a 4 Letter Word is Stealing Your Success…and How a 6 Letter Word can Save Your Future!”
wow O_o this is great!
I have to agree with everyone. This looks just like a photo! You never cease to amaze me! This has to be your best work yet! Definitly lookin’ forward to more masterpieces from you, Will. : D
Your right! Survey's are not what you think. They require a lot of time, and you won't make what they claim you will. A couple of my friends did a six month test on several different survey sites like Survey Savvy, Harris Poll, Greenfield, Opinion Outpost, Survey Sport, Buzzback, NPD online, Lightspeed Panel, African American, Your2Cents, Project Payday, Inboxdollar, SnapDollars,Send Earnings, Creation, mycoke rewards, E-poll etc. Each did some the same sites and some different sites. Totaling at least 15 – 20 a piece. They're not what people say they are. Yes they are easy to do and you can receive money and prizes, compensating you for your time and effort. So they're not a scam. They're very time consuming though. When you add the time together, It's more time then you think! If you do decide to get into surveying, you better plan on spending 8 to 10 hours a day and make minimum wage. Sometimes you will hit good surveys that will pay you a lot, but what's required to get that is amount, the calculations of the time involved, and what you got paid in these "higher" paying surveys, still only averages out to minimum wage. It's a psychological thing because the time is spread out on these, so it doesn't seem to be as long as it really is. But we did the documentation's and figured the time vs money factor. We found that there was more time with little money to be made.
Here's how the survey's work. You spend approximately 10 to 15 minutes per each site to register and set up a profile to qualify for surveys. (this is non paid). To make anything really work, you need to register for at least 14 different ones, and make sure non are related to each other. Then you'll start receiving emails for surveys. Each survey you have to complete a 15 to 20 minute "pre-qualifying" survey, after you were already told you qualified based on your profile (you don't get paid for this) Then if you do qualify for a survey (which majority of the ones you don't qualify for. so you've wasted this 15 to 20 minutes and sometimes longer of non paid time.) Then if you don't qualify for one, they offer another and you have to do the same thing, and the same thing happens.) You waste approximately 45 minutes to an hour until you finally qualify for a survey. You take a 30 to 45 minute survey and make normally $1 to $3 a survey that they claim takes 15 minutes. Or instead of money, you earn "points" which later on can be exchanged for money or prizes. You have to earn enough points to make $10. That's not including the 15 minute pre qualifying survey, that you had to repeatedly do prior to land this survey. So you've now spent thirty minutes to an hour and made $3 or a few points. And the process between each of the survey sites is the same. So you can pretty much do the math. It averages out to be between $2 to $6 an hour. Sometimes you do come across a survey that will pay you $25 to $75 a survey, BUT there's A LOT more to it then what meets the eye on that as well.
Here's how the larger pay out survey's work. It could be a telephone survey or a Internet survey. You get the pre qualifying part of 10 to 20 minutes then if you qualify for it another 15 to 30 minute survey or a telephone survey about the product your about to try to see if you qualify to try it. Even though you took a 10 to 20 minute "pre qualifying survey" that said you qualify for. When you qualify for it, they send you a product out to try for 7 to 10 days and you do some daily documentation's on it. Depending on what the product is and the documentation's it's usually 5 – 15 minutes each daily documentation. (you got a free product to use around the house, this is a good part of it) after trying the product out you have to complete another survey that takes between 15 to 30 minutes to do. Now you do the calculations on that. You don't get as many of these types of survey's. They use the hype on getting paid $25 to $75 dollars for 15 minute surveys. NOTICE THE PLURAL IN "SURVEYS" What they don't tell you is that there is more then one survey involved in these. Now calculate from your pre-qualifying survey to the next pre-qualifying survey from the company carrying the product, to the trial and documentation's, to the last survey on these products. Then you receive a check four weeks to six weeks later. Do the math, that's less then minimum wage!
Another way to earn money on survey sites, is to refer people over to the sites. Some survey sites will give you a percentage on what the people do after they've reached a curtain amount of points or obtained their first check (refer back to the top of what's involved) You either get a lot of points for this, and only one time and when you reach a curtain amount of points you can exchange it for cash or prizes. (Cash amount is usually $30 before you can cash out- do the math on how many pre-qualifying surveys and the surveys you get, the time involved etc this is what it takes to earn the $30) Other survey sites you complete shorter surveys (5 to 15 minutes) and your entered into sweepstakes or lottery things for prizes or money. "Lottery"-one winner out of all the people doing survey's. If you don't win, you lose your points. I can go on about all the other types of survey's available and what was involved in that if you'd like me to elaborate on it.
I do survey's because it does help the marketing on different products and they do use the opinions of what things look like and what not. So I do it for the principle of the matter. Don't do it for money, because you won't make a sufficient amount of money with this or quick money either.
You really have to register for a lot of different sites. The paid survey sites offer the same survey's as the non paying ones. You get the same type of prizes and some pay a little more money. Again calculation time. Calculate how much you "paid" into these sites and the time you put into it, (refer back to how the survey's work) and it calculates back to minimum wage. If your doing this to make a living off of, you will be disappointed. But just for some extra cash, it's a good source and like I said, the companies do document the feedback and use it to better advertise their products and in some cases come out with new products based on the input of the surveyors.
If you need more money then what you will make from survey's then I would look into a home job. You have a few different options. . Understand that they are minimum wage earnings, so you won't make a sufficient amount of money. But they do pay better then the survey's. After taxes, you will end up making below minimum wage.. Here's a couple URL's you can take a look at and apply. These are call center types of jobs. I can't guarnatee that you'll get the job, home jobs are high in demand because of the gas prices which causes food and everything else to go up, but you can apply.
http://apply.westathome.com/
Here's some information on careers at home for other types of home jobs:
http://www.homecareerinfo.com/0235/mt
If you need more then a minimum wage job, then I suggest you take a look at home based business opportunities. There are plenty of options out there through many different industries. My husband and I have had our home based business in an industry for several years. You make more money having your own business then working for someone else. You have the same income opportunity as a traditional business without all the over head expenses.
If you'd like some ideas on home based businesses, I came across this blog on yahoo. I found over half a dozen different industries to take a look at. In which I have friends that have their own businesses and some of these industries and do make a very good income working from home.
My advice – don't believe what anyone tells you – anyone with cash crate or treasure trove or whatever they're calling it – they plan on having you pay to "join", and then they get a cut of what you pay in – and your job is to find other people who will pay to join so you can get a cut – it's a ponzi scam.
For legit jobs, call center work is most likely one of the better ones – you need a dedicated phone and computer, and someplace where you can work and the people calling you can't hear the kids – JetBlue and Southwest Airlines use US individuals for their call center – they find that the lack of "accents" most reassuring to their customers.
BTW, I have a partial work at home job – I go into the office most days, but if my kids are sick or somethings going on, I can work effectively from home – sometimes that's the best way to end up.
Yes, the one(s) that you create yourself. Be creative, find a need and fill it.
i missed your stuff man
Go to http://www.walkitoffus.us
we work with you to learn and do food sales for food manufacturers. You work on commission and we show you what to do. we sell Mexican food, a new drink in a can from Europe, and a new line that we are adding. Do you have Skype?
LOL! I have to keep watching this! so Beautiful! Musics Perfect!
You can directly apply to the companies like Alpine Access and Work At Home Agent.
Please refer the sources to get the list of companies hiring home workers. Current vacancies are also listed there.
Data Entry / Ad Typist at home
At home Data Entry Position, great opportunity for stay at home moms or anyone who wants to work in the comfort of your own home.
Requirements: You will need a computer with Internet access, valid email address, good typing skills and basic Internet knowledge.
You will be processing orders from your computer. How much you earn is up to you. The average salary is $200 – $500 per week depending on if you are working part or full time. If you would like more information, please contact: tierretahi@hotmail.com
wow it looks as if it was taken by a camera, awesome work man
omg so you played this on ur keyboard x)
cool man and lots of respects to ALL of youre paintings
West corporation offers legitimate work at home positions that you can work full time or part time (+ they offer overtime!). My aunt referred me. She has been working as an at home customer support rep for about 3 months and she gets paid every 2 weeks. I just signed up myself..I am still in training. You can apply to several jobs.Good luck!
If you would like to start online based business then you can start 'ebay business' or ' affiliate marketing' or 'outsourcing home business'. But todays more successful online business is 'ebay'. you can earn lots of money by selling something on ebay.
Online Business Tips.
http://ecommerce-times.blogspot.com
When I first saw this I was like “that’s a photo.” SO INCREDIBLE.
Hey will,, man could i get the mp3 for this tune??? please is absolutely amazing.
it feels like my brain doesn’t want to believe that is a painting and more of a picture. haha
I am not sure about work at home mafia.
But I am very satisfied with indeed job listings. They list real job vacancies that are extracted from various job websites/communities/boards.
You may want to refer the second one for such real job listing.