Prevent Getting Scammed When Choosing a Home-Based Business
Written by Brenda Lott
Have you ever wondered why so many people get scammed out of their hard-
earned money when trying to make money with home-based business
opportunities? The answer is very simple. It is because we all want something
better for ourselves and our families. Let’s face it, anyone can write a
persuading letter to convince everyone who visits their website to join their
program. But, how do know which ones are scams? There are some very
simple tips, or clues, of what to look at before you hand over any of your
money.
First, when searching, only consider opportunities where you will be doing
something that you will enjoy. With thousands of opportunities available, take
some time to do research to discover the kinds of home-based businesses you
would have fun working with every day.
Once you know what type of business you will love doing, then it is time to
find a good program/company to join. There are a lot of good companies out
there, but at the same time you must be careful to catch the scams. Don’t rush
into it like I did with a few ‘opportunities’ and end up losing a total of a few
thousands of dollars because it is a scam.
One of the most important clues to look for is to find out how long the
company has been in business. If they have been doing business successfully
for at least 5 years, then you can trust that they will be around ten years from
now. If you join one of those ‘ground-floor opportunities’ then no one can
guarantee that the new program will be successful. I know I wouldn’t want to
put my money into a company just to have it go out of business in a year or
two from the time I join. What about you?
A second clue is to check out the contact information. If they refuse to provide
you with a street mailing address (no PO Boxes) or current phone number,
then those are your red flags that it could be a scam. If they offer a toll-free
number, I would call it to see if the number is still current and ask more
questions before joining. The person who answers the phone should be more
than happy to help you; especially if you ‘act’ like you don’t know the basics
of the program. I’ve heard of people reading about a program, and then calling
up the company to ask questions that they already know the answers to. This
is a great way to find out how they will treat you; so you know what to expect
if you really do need help after joining. If it is difficult to get a hold of them,
then I would reconsider joining so I don’t end up with problems.
Next, look closely at compensation plan(s) and the actual cost of the products
or services you will be selling. Are the prices low enough where most people
can afford to buy them? If not, then you might end up wasting a lot of time
and not making very much money. Here is a two-part question that I like
finding out the answer to before joining any program: How much money will
you be making per sale/service rendered, and does that amount satisfy you for
the effort you will put into getting one sale? Believe it or not, I have found a
few programs (making products for various companies) where I would have
been making less than one dollar per hour worked. Those are the ones you
need to catch before handing over your money; unless of course, if the offer a
money-back guarantee. I always look for some type of no-strings attached
guarantee because then I know it is safe to at least temporarily make a small
investment into a program.
The one type of home-based business that often scams people out of their
money are those that say you can stuff envelopes from home and get rich. My
opinion is to stay away from these programs because they just don’t work for
the average person. I have tried a few with what I thought were good
companies, but I only wasted money and didn’t make even one penny.
Ultimately, the choice is yours, but if you don’t have thousands of dollars to
spend on advertising and postage then it would be best to avoid these types of
programs.
Next, what about those ads that promise ‘you will get rich fast?’ Well, the
truth is that there are only three guaranteed ways to get rich:
- Win a lottery jackpot (or other form of gambling winnings)
- Inherit a fortune
- Work hard with your own business (often taking at least one year)
Of course, any company/program can, and most likely will tell you that you
‘can get rich fast.’ But do you really want to risk your money with them? The
good ones will tell you that it does take work and time to achieve high profits
similar to those who have already became rich using their home-based
business program.
Always remember that it is possible for you to get rich and be very successful,
but it will take time and work to achieve your goals. Do yourself a favor, and
never give up on your dreams! I truly hope that all of these tips will help you
in your endeavors, and I wish you a wonderful future.
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Brenda Lott exposes insider credit secrets to help people get out of debt. Visit
http://www.1shoppingcart.com/app/aftrack.asp?afid=151082 for more
information
