Legitimate Work From Home Opportunity: What to Look For

The way the world does business is changing every day. More and more companies are looking for ways to save money in these tough economic times, as well as ways to save the planet during the growing eco-conscious movement. Downsizing, outsourcing and other issues have left many people unemployed and looking for work in a job market that simply doesn’t exist anymore. For them, a viable alternative may be to find a new line of work. Looking for a legitimate work-at-home opportunity is no longer something only bored stay-at-home parents do, but has become a real means of finding support for the family. However, there are many scams that prey on the endlessly optimistic and hopelessly gullible. Knowing what to look for in a real, legitimate work-from-home opportunity and how to spot a scam is the first and most important lesson to learn.

A legitimate work-from-home opportunity does not promise or guarantee a fixed amount of money from day one. You will not get rich overnight. You will not do ten minutes of work and you will earn a thousand dollars. Keep reading those emails promising these things until you get to the end where they want you to sign up so you can “get started right away.” What they won’t add until they have you so hooked is the huge fee you have to pay. And they never mention that you have to complete their training course as well. They also never mention that although they have listed a number of “big name” clients, those cash cows aren’t on the auction block, so to speak, and you won’t be making the money you were reading about.

You won’t be pressured with a legitimate work-from-home opportunity. You won’t have salespeople calling you every day bombarding you with different offers. You won’t log in to find a veritable deluge of emails and spam demanding to know why you haven’t taken action on this offer. A legitimate work-from-home opportunity does not expire at midnight or noon the next day. (And neither are spam opportunities because if you show up on the site, credit card in hand past the “expiration” date, you’ll be able to sign up.)

A legitimate work-at-home opportunity will not require to know your credit card number or ask for information beyond what you would give to any other employer. Depending on the type of work you eventually end up doing, you may only have to give very basic information. For example, a freelance writer can only give their name and email address to their clients. As a freelance provider, the writer would be responsible for filing and paying income taxes, etc. However, for other jobs, more information may be required, such as address, phone number, and tax identification number.