And then there's the countless other home business programs stacked up in my office, doing nothing but gathering dust.
So what have I learned over the years that will keep you from becoming a victim to another online home business scam? What can you do to ensure that the next work at home job opportunities pitch is scam-free?
Scam-free Work at Home Jobs Checklist - Get to know the Seller
If you're unfamiliar with the group that's pitching the business opportunity or work at home job, make sure you do some online research. Using your favorite search engine, type in the name of the seller and see what results come back. You can also type in the seller's name plus the word "feedback." Visit forums and blogs in the related industry. Post questions. Ask webmasters. Typically, people are more than happy to provide advice and feedback. - Verify Contact Information
Look for a contact link in the navigation menu or in the footer. Legitimate companies have links to real contact information including an email address, business address and phone number. Is there an email address; what kind is it? Be careful if it is a gmail, yahoo, hotmail or other free email account. Legitimate companies usually have their own domain (e.g., businessname.com) though it is no guarantee of legitimacy. - Know What You're Getting
Request a sneak peek of what you're buying. If it's an information product, ask to see a sample. If it's an ebook, ask for the table of contents. If it's an online service or software, maybe there's a demo, a trial, or a video review. - Pay Using Installments
Frequently more expensive products offer the option of paying with installments. If you're unfamiliar with what you're buying or from whom you are buying, always choose this option. Although you may end up paying a bit more than the one payment price, it gives you the chance of seeing what you're buying, before you risk the entire amount on a product that doesn't measure up. - Effectively Manage PayPal Subscriptions
If you're paying by installments and using PayPal, make sure you cancel the subscription after the final installment. If not, this leaves you open to the risk of unauthorized additional installments taken from your account. - Don't Use PayPal if Unfamiliar With the Seller or Service
The dispute process is always much easier and the outcome usually much better when you dispute charges with credit card companies vs. PayPal. I don't know why. Maybe it's because credit card companies have been at it longer; the process is predictable, straightforward. Although PayPal is a great service, this is definitely an area where it needs to improve. - Contact When Seller is Unresponsive to Your Complaints
- Better Business Bureau - http://bbb.org
- USPS Fraud Inspection Service - http://www.usps.com/postalinspectors/fraud/
- Federal Trade Commission - http://ftc.gov
If you're unable to find the seller's contact information (which you'll need to file a report with the above agencies), try your PayPal receipt or call PayPal directly, search the WhoIs Lookup (which provides information on domain ownership), review emails you might have received from the guru, or search for the seller's name using your favorite search engine.
The #1 guaranteed way of never becoming a victim to a job or business opportunity scam again - know from whom you are buying. If you do your homework and take the necessary steps as outlined above, you can be virtually certain that the "scam-free" work at home jobs you are considering are just that...scam-free.
Page 2 of 2 :: First | Last ::  Prev | 1 2 | Next 
|
