Carl Willis

How to Avoid Work from Home Scams

work from home scams

work from home scamsIf you’ve been investigating home business opportunities, you’ve most likely researched how to avoid .

Sometimes it’s hard to cut through the noise when there are so many businesses out there being promoted.

If it isn’t about AdvoCare, you’ll see a post about Younique, or Jeunesse Global, or maybe someone else. There are tons of great companies out there.

The biggest challenge?

There are also tons of . The MLM industry has gotten a bad rap for years, oftentimes being referred to as a pyramid scheme.

While that debate still comes up amongst folks from time to time, it’s important to remember that the MLM industry isn’t the ONLY home business opportunity.

There are tons of affiliate marketing programs out there too.

How can you differentiate between what is a scam and what is a real home business opportunity?

Today, I’ll give you some tips on what to look for if you want to build a home based business, and how you can avoid the scams that many have fallen prey to.

Tips to Help You Identify Scams

While there are plenty of home business opportunities, you are also aware there are plenty of scams that are hurting innocent people.

Here are some quick tips to help you easily identify these scams.

  1. Research the company and their location. It’s always smart to research the company you are thinking about signing up with or promoting before you sign that dotted line. It sounds cliché, but it’s the truth. Never consider putting your signature on something if you don’t know who you’re dealing with. Look up information for their corporate office, call and ask them who they are, where they are located, and always check to see if they are registered with the Direct Selling Association. (Only check the DSA if you are researching a company that specifies it is direct sales. If you face any opposition from the person on the other end of the line, ask questions and be cautious .Just let them know why you called.
  2. Research the leadership. Do you know who the leaders are? There are many companies that have closed their doors and reopened under new names. This isn’t really all that uncommon, especially if they chose to go in another direction. Startups are difficult, especially when it comes to MLM/Direct Sales. If you find that someone in question keeps starting companies and they die out, beware. This doesn’t mean that they are bad people, but just know that your investment may not go as far as you would like for a viable home business.
  3. Don’t fall for opportunities that really are not opportunities. The biggest challenge with finding a home business opportunity is that many of them attract those who want a quick fix or something that is manageable while being at home with the kids. Many stay-at-home-moms are looking for something that they think they can manage in just a few hours per day. This isn’t easy at all, and therefore it’s tough when opportunities are posted that are listed as “administrative”. Stuffing envelopes is still around, but that isn’t going to feed your family. If it sounds too good to be true, then it probably isn’t TRUE. As a hard-working stay-at-home-mom, you deserve more. Focus on opportunities that provide training, community, and most of all support.
  4. Don’t give out your personal information upfront. There are some work from home scams that you’ll come across on landing pages. These pages don’t have enough information in my opinion, and they talk about “affiliate opportunities” to promote their products and services. Affiliate marketing is a great way to work from home, but not all opportunities are on the up and up. Verify the information the same way you would with a direct sales company. Make some phone calls and do the research before you make a decision. If you want to start a home business, it requires work upfront, and work each day to make it grow.

What else should you know?

Avoid Work from Home Scams by Being Realistic

The word business alone, means that it takes work. Don’t believe that it doesn’t take your time and energy every single day for you to take action to see it through.

If you sign your name and put forth a financial investment make sure that you give it your time and effort daily.

Focus on building an online presence using social media, as well as blogging and other resources so that people can learn more about you.

Seek out coaching and training from other successful people so that you can learn new skills that can help you grow your business.

If it sounds easy, it’s most likely one of the many “work from home scams”.