Want to Work at Home? The Tigers are Lurking

[typography font=”Myriad Pro” size=”20″ size_format=”px” color=”#e68e09″]Want to Work at Home? Danger Ahead![/typography]

Most of the newbies who are searching for a way to work at home on the Internet are not really hoping to become rich and famous. The driving force behind their search is a desire to start a home-based business – not a search to find a “get-rich scheme.”

They are looking for a way to stay at home with their young children, help put a child through college, or find a way to retire comfortably and still make a contribution. The majority are honest, hard-working decent people.

The tigers that are lurking in the Internet jungle are aware of their vulnerability and they start to salivate as they think about the delicious meals that are to be had.

The promise of convenient stay-at-home jobs will always attract attention. There are legitimate home-based businesses, but many of the “opportunities” are scams! There are almost 60 bogus jobs to every one legitimate job, which makes it difficult to know where to start.

The primary factors that should put people on high alert are:

The requirement to send money for materials.
The company is reluctant to answer your questions.
The offer of an exceptionally high salary in return for minimal skills and little work.

[typography font=”Myriad Pro” size=”20″ size_format=”px” color=”#e68e09″]Business “Opportunities” You DO NOT Want to Pursue![/typography]

Being forewarned is definitely forearmed. The following examples are typical of advertisements that can catch you off guard and allow the tigers in the background to pounce, gobble you up, and spit you out after happily taking your money.

[typography font=”Myriad Pro” size=”16″ size_format=”px” color=”#e68e09″]Envelope Stuffing[/typography]

This tiger is a bit long in the tooth. It has been around for years. Advertisements for ‘at-home-envelope stuffers can be found in newspapers at your local library that date back several decades….and yet people will still fall for it.

The reason that people will fall for this ploy is because they received endless piles of unsolicited mail at their mail boxes and they think, “Somebody had put that paper into those envelopes – so why not me?”

Sorry…. no living person puts paper into envelopes. It is all done by machines and mailed in bulk. Fulfillment centers are big business and individual “stuffers” are not part of that business.

There is always a ‘small fee’ to get started in the envelope stuffing business. In return for this, ‘small fee’ you will most likely get instructions for placing ads to get others to bite for the same ploy that you fell for.

It is tiger…it is a con…and the only way that you will ever get your money back is to fool others into thinking they can make money by stuffing envelopes.

Fact: There are no envelope stuffing jobs to be had!

[typography font=”Myriad Pro” size=”16″ size_format=”px” color=”#e68e09″]Craft or Assembly Jobs[/typography]

This tiger appeals to talented and creative people and/or those who are skilled at using hand tools. The promise of a solid income for doing what they know how to do and are good at doing is very attractive – in fact, almost irresistible. It feels like the perfect opportunity.

WAIT! There are some things that you don’t know, but you need to know before you take another step!

The headline promises free materials to be used in the production of a product that will be sent to the employer – for which you will be paid. BUT – you must read the fine print carefully. There is always a required investment for special equipment or supplies. The investment can be anything from a few dollars to a few hundred dollars. This is what they are really selling – and there is always a “no return policy” for the equipment and supplies.

And . . . that is not all . . . there is more than one way for this tiger to get you.

At the very bottom, in even tinier print well below the scroll line, there will be a statement that reads something like: “All work must meet quality standards.” And, that is the trap! Your work will never meet their quality standards.

You buy the equipment or supplies, you put your heart and soul into creating the products exactly as directed, and you never see a single dollar for the products that you send.

The even bigger trap is that you have no legal recourse. When you agreed to purchase the equipment or supplies, the “no return policy” was clearly spelled out. You also agreed to meet the “quality standards” that were required. They are in the clear legally. There is nothing you can do.

Unfortunately, this scam is clouding a very legitimate business avenue. There is a huge market for hand-crafted products and many people are earning a good living creating and marketing those products. The possibilities are endless if you have the talent and the ability to market your products. You can start and run a very successful home-based business.

But, you will never make money using your talents to assemble products for these tigers who are not even selling the finished products you send. They are ripping you off by selling you equipment and supplies, which you cannot return.

Fact: You can make money selling hand crafted items but not by assembling these items for others.

[typography font=”Myriad Pro” size=”16″ size_format=”px” color=”#e68e09″]Medical Billing[/typography]

Another catchy headline that draws in a lot of unsuspecting newbies is: “Job explosion in the Health Care Industry!!!!!!!” Note the exclamation points, which are always there. You will see these advertisements in newspapers, magazines and, of course, on the Internet.

Medical costs are soaring, which is a concern for all of us. This advertisement captures your attention by promising that you will be paid very well for a job that will help lower the cost of health care. You need a job . . . and the health care world needs you. WOW! What could be better than that?

They explain that the overwhelming amount of required paperwork in the health care industry is the cause of inflated health care costs. A new and innovative technology that allows electronic claim processing will help solve this problem.

If you fall for this, you will pay the price. There is no truth what-so-ever in their statement. The medical profession already has electronic billing in place and it is handled by a few well-established companies across the U.S. It is a subscription service for doctors that has been available since the late 1980’s.

You will be required to make an investment of $1,000 to $10,000 for this golden opportunity; but, “You will be able to work part-time, at your own pace, and make tons of money.” Does that really sound realistic? In what world would that be possible? Business simply does not work like that – not even on the Internet.

If you take the bait, you will receive a brochure, an application, some discs, a contract, disclosure statements, basic instructions on how to set up the business, and testimonial letters from those who have succeeded beyond anything they thought was possible (all bogus).

What you will not have is clients! That will be up to you. Imagine trying to compete with large companies who have been in the medical billing business for years.

Fact: A few large companies have been handling billing for the medical profession for years. You cannot compete!

[typography font=”Myriad Pro” size=”16″ size_format=”px” color=”#e68e09″]Data Entry[/typography]

If you are good with numbers and have strong computer skills, this can be very appealing. Imagine spending a few hours a day in the comfort of your home putting numbers in columns and making enough money to meet those pesky monthly bills. Unfortunately….that is not very likely to happen.

This is not to say that there are NO data entry jobs available. However, you will not be signing up for one of them by answering the slick ads that promise you a data entry job by signing up for one of their courses.

If you let this tiger pounce and you pay for the course, you will receive the course either electronically or on CD’s or DVD’s. Then, SURPRISE – the course will teach you how to find and sign up for affiliate programs. (BTW – this information is readily available on the Internet for FREE).

As part of the course, you will be instructed how to set up advertisements in Google Ad Words. (Instructions also available FREE on the Internet). They will lead you to believe that ads on Google will cost $.01 each, but the ads are basically useless. The ads may cost one penny each time someone clicks on them, but they will be listed on page 15 where they are unlikely to be seen or clicked on. If, by any stroke of luck, they are clicked on, I guarantee the cost will be more than one penny.

The bottom line is that you paid for a course that was not was it was promised to be; and the information you received could be accessed for free on the Internet.

NOTE: Running an affiliate program is a legitimate and viable business, but it is not a data entry business. And – what they do not tell you is that affiliate marketing is an extremely competitive business. It takes a long time to build the business and a lot of work to sustain it.

Fact: Data entry courses from e-mail solicitations are a scam. Their sole purpose is to get you to buy courses that have nothing to do with data entry.

[typography font=”Myriad Pro” size=”16″ size_format=”px” color=”#e68e09″]Writers Wanted[/typography]

Another fierce and clever tiger that is ready to pounce. The reason this tiger is so good at trapping his prey is because of the demand for talented writers and the endless supply of people who want to write.

It is true that we are immersed in the information age and there is a never-ending need for people who can write quality articles, books, and reports on a variety of subjects. But, these advertisements are not really looking for writers. They are looking for “wannabe” writers. They are usually selling one of two things:

A writing course of some kind
A list of places to sell your writing.

If you think you have talent and really want to write, hone your skills by taking courses at the local community college or seek out a writer who is giving private lessons, and practice – practice – practice. The more you write, the better you will be. All successful writers have paid their dues, and you must do the same.

Fact: You will not get a job writing by taking a course from this kind of solicitation or buying a list.

[typography font=”Myriad Pro” size=”14″ size_format=”px” color=”#b07113″]Next article in the series – Work at Home Scams – Protect Yourself from the Tigers[/typography]