How to protect yourself from Home Based Business Scams

Home based business gives you a chance to earn money while staying at home. Opportunities are wonderful and in abundance. But, well there is a big "but"', these very attractive opportunities are also fraught with scams and fraudulent schemes. Do you own a home based business? If yes, wake up! It's time you realize that you just have to protect it. Have you been duped? Lost money? Don't be embarrassed, you are certainly not alone.

Scam targets

Most people who work at home are likely to be stay-at-home moms, disabled individuals and elderly people as well as the unemployed and these are mostly the main targets of scams. Mothers today feel that they should be there for the children and the husband; they feel the need to earn an income too. A work-at-home-and-make-money ad sounds like an opportunity too good to be true. Indeed, they are too good to be true, many moms have been working hard expecting to be paid only to be told that her work was either not good enough or some other excuse. Work at home jobs involve emailing, typing, medical billing, web site designing and hosting, envelope stuffing in turn involving investment, time and hard work; when payment talks crop up there workman ship is always "not up to standard'. Do you happen to be in this lot? Being a work-at-home scam victim can be depressing and frustrating.

What do you do before you invest in a home based business?

Ads can be very enticing. They are indeed, attractive and enticing; but better beware. Test yourself before looking at any seemingly attractive home based business opportunity. You have investment; do you dare to use it? Just like that? Can you afford to lose it? Does the offer sound so good that you are pressured into buying it today? Do you know the company or the individual to go ahead? Should your answer to any of these questions be negative, you better think twice.

Do you have to pay to work?

We need a business to earn income right? Well you do not necessarily to pay the earth to earn a small income. Working at home should be treated as working for any employer at the place of business. At a job interview, the employer would certainly never ask you to pay a fee for materials or starters to land a job, right? If he does it would be absurd. A company or employer actually employs a worker and pays him for a job done. Whenever an ad says pay a certain sum for a certain job or information, it most likely is a scam. However, home based businesses do require a start up cost, investments and the like. What you need to do if you plan to invest in a business is to check and double check before you make an investment.

What to check up on?

The company offering a job or business (get-rich-quick scheme) must have a proper physical address. It should at least have a phone number, the phone number has to real, you can check this out by trying to call the phone should be answered by a true person not a machine. Before you shell out your precious nest egg to invest, make sure you know the individual or the company well. If you care to check, you might just find outdated information, non working links, no help section and sometimes even no real email support. In this scenario, don't you think you would need to make serious investigations pay up only when you are really sure that the offering company or individual is authentic?

Look for credible claims

Scheming companies are always vague and incredible, they sell them state names, any important information and cost make sure you have an all clear inside knowledge of companies and any prospective individual. Get your facts crystal clear. Don't ever let your greed get the better of you. Should you fall for attractive ads neglecting the fact that they may be too incredible, you would end up a scam victim.

Steer clear of the pyramid

The pyramid is a system of down lines and up lines, recruits and new recruits. Most home based businesses run on the pyramid program, here participants make money only by recruiting new members- down lines - into the program. Payment here is based mainly on recruiting never on the sale of a product. Do you seriously believe this to be feasible? Be wary of the pyramid.

Are you so desperate? Don't show it, don't sound it

If you are seriously looking for a business break, web sites or ads promising you the earth in 30 days time are plenty. Oh yes! And very enticing! Chances are this just may not happen. You grab them eagerly. Where ads attract you, you attract scammer sharks. While you grab at jobs offered, they grab at your money. Be calm and "look before you leap".

A scam victim? What do you do? Should you find yourself swindled and ripped off, the first thing to do would be to write to the company or the individual concerned, demanding for a pay back. If they do not agree, let them know that officials concerned will be notified.

Whatever you do, make your moves sensibly; steer clear of frauds and scammers. All the best to you.