Work at Home Scams - Don't Be a Victim

Many out of work Americans are struggling to find ways to generate income and keep themselves from financial ruin. Unfortunately, this has opened up the flood gates for many unscrupulous scammers to take advantage of desperate job seekers.

While some work from home businesses are legitimate, many are not and can be costly mistakes for unsuspecting targets. The following tips will help when evaluating the legitimacy of an offer to work at home.

• What tasks will you be doing in your home business? Ask for a detailed list of each specific job requirement. Many work from home scams make it practically impossible to be paid for a job accomplished. Some companies require you to assemble items then routinely deem finished products “subpar” as an excuse not to pay workers.

• Will you be working on a salary basis, piecework basis or on commission. Undoubtedly, a salary is most advisable, however not many companies pay on this basis.

• Who will be paying you? You’ll want to know this upfront. If the company pays workers through an outside agency this could become an issue if your check is not remitted in a timely manner.

• When will you receive your first paycheck? You don’t want to complete any job and then be forced to wait months for payments, but this often happens.

• What will be the cost to you? Far too many work from home companies require workers to purchase kits, supplies, equipment or pay membership fees. Upfront fees place further financial burdens on struggling workers. 99.9% of companies requiring some kind of upfront fee is a scammer.

• Research any company before you commit. Visit the Local Consumer Protection Agency, State Attorney General’s Office or the Better Business Bureau in the state where the company is located as well as your own state. These organizations will list complaints about the work at home program that interests you. But be aware that the absence of complaints doesn’t always mean the company is legitimate. Deceitful companies often settle complaints, change names, or relocate to evade legal action.

• Above all, trust your instincts. If a claim to make a lot of money working from home sounds too good to be true it almost always is. Promising workers a guaranteed income of $17.00 an hour to stuff envelopes is an outrageous claim and therefore an obvious scam.

If you feel you have been a victim of a work from home scam you can visit the Fraud.org website, or you should contact the Federal Trade Commission or any of the agencies listed above.

5 Small Business Ideas You Can Do From Home

With 13.9 million Americans currently out of work and jobs at a minimum, many people are looking for alternative ways to generate income. Starting your own business is an appealing prospect and for many good reasons. You can make your own hours and be your own boss. If you work primarily out of your home you’ll have little or no overhead expenses. But you should also be prepared for a great deal of hard work. It takes research, a sound business plan, drive and determination. Your first step is to decide what type of business you’d like to start. The following are 5 small businesses that can be started with little or no start up costs.

1. Resume writing service

If you have good writing, spelling and grammatical skills this is an excellent full or part-time business. A computer and an internet connection is pretty much all you need. You can advertise your resume writing business in local papers and on online classified sites like Craigslist. You can begin by developing a detailed questionnaire for clients to complete via email. Following up by phone or Skype interviews will allow you to prepare a professional, detailed resume for your customers. To get started, consider offering to write resumes for friends and family at no cost in order to build your resume writing portfolio.

2. Catering business

Do friends and family often compliment you on your culinary skills? Are you known for your delicious cakes, cookies or cupcakes? You can specialize in ethnic foods, baked goods only, children’s parties or tea parties, just to name a few. Consider starting out by catering small parties and gatherings. Start up cost is minimal. You most likely already have pots, pans and cooking utensils in your kitchen. Superstores like Sam’s Club and Costco have a good selection of bulk catering supplies at reasonable prices. As your business and reputation grows you can cater larger events. Be sure to check with your local health department to find out what rules and regulations are required. If regulations are restrictive, consider teaming up with a local church or organization that will allow you to prepare food in their kitchen facilities.

3. Daycare business

If you love children and have a lot of patience, a daycare business might be a good choice. Finding quality daycare is a huge problem for many working parents and you can fill this void. You’ll need books, toys and some equipment like cribs and play pens but these can be purchased at thrift stores and consignment shops to save money. Each state differs with regards to daycare rules and regulations so be sure to check with your local agencies. Becoming certified or licensed has the benefit of having access to USDA and other programs. Taking CPR and first aid training at your local Red Cross will make your daycare business more attractive to parents.

4. Affiliate marketer

Having your own website has never been easier or cheaper. Basically all you need is a domain name, a hosting site and a website builder. GoDaddy is an excellent one-shop stop for all of this. Once you have a website set up and you’ve added some valuable, interesting content you can sign up with several affiliate programs. Companies pay you to advertise their products on your website. When visitors to your site click on an ad and make a purchase you get paid a percentage of the sale. Some affiliate programs, such as Google Adsense, are pay per click, but many pay when a purchase is made. Either way, it’s possible to make a nice income through affiliate marketing.

5. Flea market vendor

There are flea markets and swap meets in nearly every city and small town across the country. For a minimal fee (often around $20 for a weekend) you can set up a booth and sell just about anything. Used goods, wholesale products, food and handcrafted items can all be sold for a profit. There are many indoor flea markets and antiques malls that are always actively seeking vendors.