Work at Home

If you have an email address, there is no doubt that you've seen the headline:  Earn Thousands as you Work at Home.  In fact, we see this kind of advertisement everywhere we go.  Work at home opportunities appear in newspaper classified ads, online advertisements, even stapled onto utility poles.

The Appeal of Working at Home

Many of these advertisements sound pretty appealing.  After all, who doesn't dream of working at home, being their own boss, making their own hours, and running errands whenever they choose?  But not all work at home opportunities deliver on their promise.  In this article, we'll give you a quick primer on what this industry is all about.

As you might have guessed, this kind of offer really sounds too good to be true.  Well, the truth be known, there are lots of scheming con artists out there that prey on the innocent.  Searching for that American dream can often lead us down the wrong path.

We do have information on legitimate work at home offers, jobs that might be suitable to part time workers, as well as jobs for work at home moms.  All of these articles contain helpful tips and links to websites where you can find some actual work at home opportunities.

Work at Home Scams

The remainder of this particular article will focus on work at home scams and the warning signs you should look out for with this kind of business offer.  We're going to provide you with three examples of such scams.  That is not to say that every medical billing or craft work offer is a trick.  We're just pointing out some of the scams that the Federal Trade Commission has been watching very carefully lately.

That being said, the following are three examples of work at home scams:

Example 1 - Medical Billing

Typically, this work at home offer involves turn-key billing centers claiming there is a crisis in the health care billing arena due to the tremendous amount of paperwork it generates.  Of course the solution is to establish your own claims processing center.

Most likely you will need to purchase $2,000 - $7,000 worth of equipment, training, and support to get this business started.  Unfortunately, to make this company successful you will have to get your own clients.  This is no easy task, since the competition is fierce with some very large players dominating the market.

Example 2 - Craft Work

This type of work at home scam varies, but it normally involves you assembling something for a company, with the understanding that this same company would pay you for each part assembled.  In some instances, you might be required to purchase specialized machinery that will help you achieve the financial freedom you've been seeking.

Unfortunately, these companies have quality standards that you might have a hard time meeting.  They will take the merchandise you've assembled, but refuse to pay you for the product due to its "inferior" quality.

Example 3 - Envelope Stuffing

Companies offering this opportunity often promise to send you the secrets of this "work at home dream" for a small upfront fee.  In exchange for your money, you're likely to receive a tiny brochure explaining how to get this business started:  By placing advertisements in local papers or other media.

The only way you can make any money is if someone actually responds to your advertisement!  Again, this is a promise of a work at home business, but you need to find and develop your own clients.

Victims of Work at Home Schemes

Like the saying goes - there is no such thing as a free lunch.  Most legitimate work at home opportunities are best described as telecommuting jobs and freelance work.  These are the types of jobs that you don't necessarily have to sit in a cubicle to perform:  data entry, web design, computer programming, and creative writing.  You will find these jobs in the traditional job placement market using "telecommuting" or "freelance" as a keyword.

If you think you've been a victim of a work at home scheme, there are several government agencies that are interested in your story.  If it involves fraud through the mail, you can contact the US Postal Service.  You can also contact the Federal Trade Commission at 1-877-FTC-HELP.

About the Author - Work at Home

Bill Sharlow is the Editor of Money-Zine.com.  Copyright © 2004 - 2010 Money-Zine.com