Exclusive Report:
Wanted:
Legitimate Home-Based Work
By Grace M. Washington
Corporate
downsizing and an insatiable desire for independence and
self-fulfillment have led unprecedented numbers of Americans, and other
global community dwellers, to pursue
their dream of working from home. Unfortunately,
many have all but given up hope on the Internet’s ability to deliver
on its "promise" of any genuine work-at-home jobs and business opportunities.
Truth
is, the Internet is a valuable tool for locating many legitimate
work-at-home jobs and business opportunities.
But before you fork over one penny of your hard earned money on any
Web site, take the time to do a bit of research and apply a little
common sense. Most of all,
regard the Internet with the same instincts that tip you off to
potential frauds delivered to you by mail or through other media.
Work-at-home
schemes are nothing new, and some are very easy to spot.
For example, I laughed out loud (really), when I opened and read
a recent piece of spam e-mail which Subject Line queried, “Did you get
your PAYCHECK in the mail?” For giggles, I navigated the link to their Web site.
Listed in two columns on their “Clerical Packages” page were
the names of various job directories labeled in intensity from "basic"
to "workaholic." Also
listed were information resources, including a “Clerical Bible”
and something called a “Bi-Weekly Bundle,” where for $75 you
would receive an “Automatic e-mail subscription of new job openings.
The largest variety available!” They
also indicated that the bundle included an unspecified “free $35.00
gift.” Not one page of
the site (including the Contact page) contained a company name or real
contact information.
I’ve
since received four more e-mails from these guys, the latest one
offering me a pay-per-view alternative to purchasing a full directory (I
can purchase one listing at a time for $6.50 plus $1 for “processing”). I
haven’t requested to be removed from their mailing list yet -- they’ve
become my “joke of the day.”
Other
schemes are a bit harder to detect.
Skilled individuals can create and use a Web page or Web site to
produce a company, or advertise an opportunity, that appears legitimate.
But just because a Web site “appears” to be legitimate is no
reason to assume that it is. Here
are a few things you should look for when evaluating the legitimacy of a
Web site or advertisement promising home-based work:
1.
Sometimes, what
you see IS what you get.
Occasionally, you can discern the legitimacy of an offer simply by its
presentation. In the case
of advertisements, determine first if the offer you’ve received is
spam.
If it is, look out. It
may be tempting to respond to such messages, especially if the
opportunity “promises” legitimacy, and provides a link to a Web page
that also “appears” legitimate.
But consider this: legitimate
offers of employment (whether work-at-home or otherwise) from credible
job sources do not show up in your Inbox as spam.
Remember, spam is highly frowned upon on the Internet, and anyone
who uses this method to advertise usually has something to hide.
If
you’re visiting a Web site promising legitimate home-based work,
before signing up, take some time to browse the site.
Does it look professional? Is
the content comprehensible and sincere?
While many Internet businesses are flourishing by use of a
simple, no frills Web site, there are still those that scream, “I’m
only interested in separating you from your money!”
A Web site that looks thrown together, or that contains content
that’s unprofessional, contradictory, incomprehensible, confusing, or
that makes claims that seem insincere, questionable, or
“too good to be true” should raise a big red flag.
I
often base my initial judgment of a company’s professionalism,
attention to detail, and commitment to excellence on the Web site’s
appearance and content. But,
again, just because a site “looks” legitimate doesn’t mean that it
is legitimate. You should
take some time to do a bit more digging.
2.
Who
are these people anyway?
Suppose you saw a well-dressed man you’ve never met standing on a
street corner. Now imagine,
that as you pass by, he hands you a slip of paper containing his Yahoo
e-mail address, and tells you he has something fantastic to sell you.
Further, he tells you that if you give him your credit card and
personal information he promises that he’ll meet you back on that
corner in an hour to bring you what you’d purchased.
Would you give him your information?
Well, submitting your credit card and personal information on an
unknown Web site, where the only contact information provided is an
e-mail address, is essentially the same scenario.
Before
making a purchase on any Web site with which you have no personal
familiarity or have not been personally referred, start by searching for
and reading any company history or background information (often found
in an area of the site entitled, "About Us," "About,"
"Company History," etc.). Search for and
read their Privacy Policy, and DO NOT give your money or personal
information to anyone who does not post one. ALWAYS know
who you’re doing business with, and understand what they intend to do
with your personal information once they have it.
Look
for other signs of credibility.
I’m amazed at how many "companies" try to remain anonymous, and
then expect people to do business with them.
For example, is
complete, verifiable contact information including a physical street
address and a “live” telephone number (as opposed to a voice-mail
box) listed anywhere on the Web site? While some legitimate businesses do use a P.O. box to conduct
business, remember, scammers also use them to maintain anonymity.
Use
extreme caution with Web sites that only offer one or several email
addresses as the only form of contact.
And, run like the wind if they are using only email addresses
from free services such as Hotmail, Yahoo, or any of the thousands of
other free email service providers.
The same advice applies to Web sites that are hosted by free
hosting companies. Again, many legitimate businesses do use these services as
part of their strategy for reducing their business expenses; however,
scam artists like them because if they are found out and their Web site
is shut down, they can easily change providers – at no cost to them.
Again, use extreme caution.
The
good news is, even if contact information is not listed on the Web site,
you can still learn who owns the domain and where they are located.
BetterWhois.com
enables you to obtain the owner information of most registered domain
names. When you type in the
Web address, the service will automatically look up the domain in the
shared domain registry, and locate which registrar has reserved the
name. You can then visit the domain registrar listed, and query
their WHOIS database for the domain owner’s contact information.
The only drawback to using this service is that it cannot specify
owner information for sub-domains (for example, www.xxx.bigstep.com
where “xxx” is the sub-domain).
3.
Don’t believe the hype.
We’re inundated with hype each time we read our email or surf the Web.
Promises of quick, mind-boggling earnings for “little or no
work” or “no experience necessary” are prevalent on the Internet.
Here, you’ve got to simply use common sense.
The only way that anyone makes hordes of cash without working and
without experience is by either being born rich or by winning the lottery
(and even winning the lottery requires some work and experience).
Don’t fall for the banana in the tail pipe folks.
It may be tempting to get involved with an opportunity that
appears legitimate and offers tons of money in exchange for little time
and no experience, but don’t do it.
“Get Rich Quick” schemes only get the scammer rich
quick.
Conversely,
use extreme caution when responding to work-at-home ads that appear
vague. Remember, many of
the rules of traditional business still apply even when you’re
conducting your job search on the Internet.
Legitimate employers will be quite detailed when describing job
responsibilities and minimum qualifications.
And, it makes sense. Legitimate
employers are aware that hundreds of people may see and apply for the
position. They have neither
the time nor the manpower to respond to common questions about the
position. They want to fill
the position as quickly and efficiently as possible.
They also provide lots of details to weed out prospects who aren’t
qualified for the position, and that saves everyone time.
On
the other hand, scammers are only interested in stealing your money.
In some cases, they may not even respond to questions they
receive – especially if they are specific in nature.
If
you respond with questions to a work-at-home ad that seems vague, and
receive a vague response, move on.
Your time will be better spent applying for legitimate positions
that offer plenty of details up front.
4.
Where’s the beef?
Remember those Wendy’s ads years ago that asked, “Where’s the
beef?” Wendy’s used
that unforgettable promotion to show that their burgers were
bigger than their competitor’s. The
result? The
campaign recorded the highest consumer awareness levels in advertising
history, and the ad was voted the most popular commercial in America
that year. Now consider how
they may have fared if they’d posted advertising that only contained
the words, “Our burgers have the most meat,” but without showing
pictures of the product. What if people started
lining up to ask for proof, and none could be produced?
How credible would their claims have appeared?
Likewise,
many Web sites claim to be “#1” or “award winning,” but can
these claims be substantiated? Remember,
people don’t hide their trophies, they display them.
Any legitimate business endeavoring to build credibility will not
only point out their awards or endorsements, but will prominently
display them for all the world to see.
Anyone can say they’re #1, but if you don’t see proof of
these claims (or if the Web site’s owner can not or will not provide
proof), take them with a grain of salt.
5.
Are those “real” satisfied customers?
Nothing can give a business greater credibility than testimonials from
satisfied customers. However,
don’t assume that customer testimonials are legitimate simply because
they appear on the Web site. Unfortunately,
in some instances, these glowing testimonials have been written by the
business owners themselves.
I've
noticed several Web sites have taken
an innovative approach to providing customer testimonials. To
demonstrate the credibility of their customer satisfaction claims, the
Web site provides the actual e-mail address (by permission) of the
customer providing the testimony. You
have the option of contacting the customer yourself to confirm the claim’s
validity, or to obtain details of their experience with the business.
How
can you confirm the legitimacy of customer claims?
By talking to others who've purchased the product or service. Visit
chat rooms, discussion boards, or the Usenet, and post questions
soliciting the experience of others who purchased the product or
service. If asked, people
love to talk about the experiences they’ve had with a product or
service – good or bad – and will gladly respond if they’ve got
something to tell.
6.
How
much bang do I get for my buck?
Many work-at-home Web sites deliver available home-based job
opportunities through a paid membership to their Web site.
In addition, most offer other related benefits, work-at-home
tools, and resources. Before
purchasing a membership at any of these Web sites, try to determine how
and from where they obtain their job listings.
How often do they update their listings?
Many of these sites get their listings from job boards like WorkTree.com
or HotJobs.com,
and that’s okay. But,
measure the value of the service in terms of additional products and
services they make available to you.
The
thing to remember about service providers is that you are often paying
for convenience. There is
nothing new under the sun. If
you spend enough time surfing the Web, you’ll discover that there are
few Web sites available offering products or services that are not
available elsewhere. This is
especially true of "work at home" Web sites. The
real value is in the total package they provide.
7.
The Big “N”.
NEVER purchase "lists" of work-at-home jobs or business opportunities packaged as a
CD, directory, or other "package."
Obviously,
the most accurate and current information on available jobs and business
opportunities is desired, and a CD or directory can promise neither.
Additionally,
many of these directories are nothing more than old, recycled lists of
companies that at one time were known to have hired telecommuters, freelancers, or independent
contractors. Unwittingly, I purchased
one of these lists once.
Much of the information was outdated, rendering more than half of
the list useless. You’ll
do better to save your money.
NEVER
pay any fee to work without first understanding specifically
why the fee is required, how the fee will be used, and what you will be
purchasing -- and GET IT IN WRITING.
And,
under no conditions whatsoever, should you EVER pay a fee to be
"hired" in a "job." Beware of such labels as
"administrative fee," "processing fee," set up
fee," "software fee," "show me that you're serious
fee," "equipment fee," "instructions fee,"
etc. You often see such requests associated with envelope stuffing
jobs, assembly work, and certain types of clerical or data entry work.
An
acceptable fee request would be in the case of a legitimate
network marketing or franchise opportunity, where a fee, or investment,
would either purchase the business or buy an initial supply of products or
services. But, again, a legitimate company
will communicate clearly the what, where, when, why, and how of a fee
request. The labels listed above are vague, and offer no
specific explanation as to why payment of the fee is necessary. If
a work-at-home ad offers such an explanation for their fee requests,
NEVER pay them.
Additionally,
in
cases where you do not already have the special tools, software, or
equipment required to complete the job, you should be given the option
to purchase the equipment from the vendor of your choice.
Even if the software or equipment is proprietary -- that is, if
they claim that these materials were developed in-house and for their
sole use -- it may be more prudent to do business only with companies who
will supply you with these materials at no expense to you.
Be extremely cautious of (and, in most cases avoid) any company
that requires you to pay a fee in return for a job.
8.
How Reliable Are They?
Take
the time to search the databases on sites like the Better
Business Bureau and Federal
Trade Commission, for any complaints that have been registered about
the company in question. Many
work at home sites also provide access to a "scams" area where
you can post complaints, and report fraudulent activity.
Even if you don't have a complaint to file, its a good idea to
take time to review the postings on these Web sites.
Now,
a word of caution. I had a very rude awakening a few months ago
with one "reliability" site that claimed to be an
"unbiased" source for reporting scams. Instead of
reporting ALL of the facts during an incident in which I was involved,
the editor of this site censured the comments of most of the people who
wrote in to report a positive, personal experience with the company in
question.
The
editor accused members of "being paid by the company" to add
their comments -- a statement that not only was completely untrue, but
that was unfounded. I was shocked, especially given that this
company prominently posts their claim of being an unbiased source, who
"will not censure" ANY comments. Needless to say, when I
called them on their own statements, they had no comment.
The
bottom line: reliability sites should not be considered "the
final word." Unfortunately, even some of these sites are
unreliable sources for finding accurate information.
For
this reason, in addition to consulting reliability sites, you also
should try locating and talking to as many people as you can who've had
personal experience with the product or service. As suggested
earlier, visit message boards and chat rooms relating to the topic of
the product or service, and post your inquiries. If people have
anything to tell, they will.
9.
Take Your Queue From What They "Guarantee" They Will Do.
An often overlooked, but very important element of any product or
service offer is the guarantee. If no guarantee or offer to refund
your FULL PURCHASE PRICE is made, this should raise a HUGE red
flag!
Believe
it or not, many sites will make every promise in the book EXCEPT one to
give you your money back if you're not satisfied. The vast
majority of honest, legitimate business owners stand by their ability to
deliver, or even over-deliver, on what they have promised. And,
that's why they back up their confidence and stand behind the quality
of their own product or service with a strong guarantee.
It's
been my personal experience that business owners who offer either no
guarantee at all, or who offer a "fuzzy" guarantee, know
already that there will likely be a high percentage of people who will
request a refund. Why? Because they either (1) already know
that they are defrauding you, and/or (2) they have received countless
refund requests from dissatisfied customers, due to customers
discovering "after they'd purchased" that they had been
deceived.
Even
if you find a guarantee, pay attention to where it's positioned on the
Web site or ad, and pay attention to what is being offered to guarantee
the product/service. I've seen guarantees buried so deep within
the Web site, that's it obvious the site owners are hoping that most
people simply will not take the time to look for it (and, thus, will not
request a refund).
Others
will attempt to discourage you from requesting a refund by placing
requirements or limitations on the guarantee. Terms like having to
"prove" that you tried every technique they suggested, or
adding the need for you to jump through any other "hoops" in
order to get your money back should cause you to proceed with
caution.
Perhaps
the most laughable guarantee I've seen has been an offer from a
well-known "work at home" site to give you the equivalent of a
"store credit" -- if you aren't satisfied, you tell them, and
they will kindly send you an ebook, supposedly, of a value equivalent to
the fee you paid. (I was told by one of my members that he was
never even sent his "consolation prize" when he requested a
refund).
Some
sites would like to have you believe that their reason for not offering
a refund guarantee (or for offering to only issue you a partial refund)
is that they are guarding against people joining their programs simply
to download the products, and then requesting a refund.
Listen,
I sold more than 600 copies of a downloadable ebook I'd written -- a
product with the same kind of vulnerability. It came with a
one-year, 100% money-back guarantee. Only two people requested
refunds, and it was because they couldn't open the file format on their
computer.
The
truth is, if an business owner doesn't have either the willingness or
the confidence to stand behind his/her product or service with an
unconditional, 100% money-back guarantee, then why should you have the
willingness or confidence to give them your money? In effect,
they are saying, "Oh, I promise I'll give you this or that, but I
can't guarantee it." Puuleeeeeeze.
Do
business with people who fully and unconditionally stand behind their
products and services, and who will likewise return your money fully and
unconditionally if you're not
satisfied.
10. The Bottom Line.
If you are interested in pursuing a work-at-home opportunity,
ultimately, you are responsible for researching its legitimacy.
You should always check the reputation and validity of any
business offering you a work-at-home opportunity before you send any
money, regardless of whether you learn about the opportunity through a
credible Web site or through an email message.
Many of the job boards and work provider Web sites offer
employers the opportunity to post their jobs for free.
In many cases, these postings are not screened for legitimacy. And, many common scams and scam artist "employers" can be
found on some of the Internet's most popular job boards and career
sites.
Increasing your awareness of,
and knowledge about, work-at-home scams is your best
protection against them. Both the Better Business Bureau and
Federal Trade Commission offer access to a variety of free reports aimed
at helping consumers learn how to spot and avoid all kinds of online
scams.
Anyone
victimized by a work-at-home scam can and should file a complaint with
these and other consumer advocate Web sites.
Links to some of these sites can be found in the “Report
Internet Scams” area of the
My Work-At-Home Essentials™
Web site.
Remember,
remaining silent allows others to be swindled.
Remember, too, that by taking some time to do your research up
front, you’ll save yourself unnecessary frustration, and avoid losing
precious time and money as a result of falling prey to a work-at-home
scam.
*******************************************************
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Grace M. Washington, Silver Spring, MD, USA
grace@myworkathomeessentials.com
Grace
Washington is a freelance writer and owner of RTIQLIT™
(pronounced “articulate”) Communications,
a home-based marketing and corporate image solutions consultancy.
She
is also owner of My Work-At-Home
Essentials.com (http://www.myworkathomeessentials.com), and the author of The
Essential Home Job Search
Guide, a Web-based ebook written to help users “work where they
live” by guiding them, start to finish, through a proven method for
conducting a successful home job search.
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