While searching for a valid home based business opportunity that is right for you, there are very often scam advertisements out there that have us all wasting valuable time and money. Many people are unfortunately caught out by this type of advert as they are cleverly worded and make us believe that a lot of money is to be made. We only realise the reality of the scam advertisement once it’s too late. This type of negative experience often puts people off and can make one start to feel despondent when it comes to applying for work from home positions or even home based business opportunities.

Many people have to ask themselves whether the “work from home” advertisements they are reading are legitimate or simply scams. There are a few warning signs that you can look for when browsing through work from home opportunities. Unfortunately scam advertisements even filter through to general job advertisements and these can be quite hard to police. The trick is to be careful and know what to look out for.

Here is simple guide on how to avoid scams and ensure you are applying for legitimate home based positions:

Ask questions about the position advertised. Home based businesses are usually commission based or have a payment schedule. If there is no salary attached, be sure to enquire how you will be paid and how often you can expect payment (weekly, bi-weekly, monthly).
Don’t pay upfront . Work from home schemes that require you to pay upfront for start up kits and manuals before you are even able to meet anyone from the company are most probably scams.
Check the details . Most scam advertisements for home based businesses will include a postal address or email address, but will not include a physical address or any telephone numbers. Be careful of this!
Ask For References. If the business is legitimate they should not mind you speaking to other employees or contract workers. Ask for telephone numbers.
The Get Rich Quick Scam – if a home based business advertisement promises to help you get rich quick while putting in hardly any hours and laying out no capital, then it is most certainly a scam. Avoid these advertisements at all costs.

Finding valid home based businessopportunities is possible. Make sure to not go with the first company that you encounter. Follow the above steps and ask as many questions about the company as possible.

If you find a work from home opportunity that appears to be legitimate, but you still have your doubts then take your time to make sure you are doing the right thing. You should never have to send money or postal orders to companies for more information on the advertised job. These are usually scams! Make sure to never send too many of your personal details to an unknown company. Keep your banking details, ID number and physical address to yourself until you know who you are dealing with.

Avoid the work from home and home based businessscams. Be aware of what scams are out there and protect yourself by being roped in. Legitimate work-from-home business opportunities are out there – look for them!

Author: Franchise Finder, Online Directory of Franchises and Business Opportunities in South Africa