How to Find More Information about Legit Work-at-Home Jobs

Looking for more information on legitimate work-at-home jobs can be difficult as Internet scams abound. You are bombarded with advertisements that offer exaggerated claims of the wealth you can earn or easy work for greater-than-average returns. To look for a legitimate job you can do from home, learn the lingo and typical practices of scams and dishonest advertisements so you can avoid them and visit the reputable websites that offer helpful suggestions and genuine information concerning work-from-home jobs..

Instructions

1. Examine the specifics about the advertised work-at-home job. Look for the name of the company doing the hiring or contracting and a detailed description about the work you'll perform. Locate a website address, phone number or other contact information. Call the company and direct any questions to the company's representative or human resources manager. If you can't find any of this information, then pass up the "opportunity."

2. Research the company to determine if it has an unsavory reputation or is known as a scammer. Look for unresolved complaints or information about the company at consumer reporting organizations such as the Better Business Bureau or Ripoff Report. Contact the Attorney General's office in the state in which you're located or where the company is located and ask if any complaints have been filed against the company.

3. Visit online work-at-home and telecommuting communities, such as Scam.com, Rat Race Rebellion and WAHM.com. Give the names of companies you've found advertising work-at-home opportunities and ask members and administrators about the opportunity's legitimacy. Also, look in these online communities for recommendations and lists of companies that have been verified as being legitimate and offering real jobs that you can do at home.

4. Visit the Federal Trade Commission's Bureau of Consumer Protection Website, the FTC's "Money Matters" site or the Federal Citizen Information Center's Consumer Action website. These online resources offer advice about legitimately working and earning money from home, among other consumer issues.

5. Look for a legitimate list of job postings that advertise telecommuting jobs. For example, authoritative websites in the work-at-home and telecommuting industry include the All Freelance Directory, 2Work-at-Home.com and TJobs.com. The authors and administrators of these sites research legitimate telecommuting jobs or resources where they can be found and organize them in online directories and lists that you can browse and search.

Tips & Warnings

• Never pay a membership or "access" fee to look at a list of companies offering "legitimate" opportunities.

• Some companies ask for a fee to conduct a background check. While this may be legitimate, research the company before paying anything.

References

• Rat Race Rebellion; Spotting Scams Among Home-Based Work Ads; Chris Durst, et al.
• Scambusters.org: Top 10 Work At Home and Home Based Business Scams; Audri and Jim Lanford
• Federal Trade Commission; Work-at-Home Schemes; February 2010

Resources

• Money Matters: Work-at-Home
• FTC Bureau of Consumer Protection; ...Here's How to Avoid Bogus Business...; March 2011
• Federal Citizen Information Center Consumer Action Website: Employment -- Work-at-Home Companies
• 2Work-at-Home.com: About Us
• All Freelance Directory: List of Telecommuting Job Sites
• Rat Race Rebellion: Frequently Asked Questions