With the economy still in the crapper, more people than ever are looking to supplement or replace their income by finding an online "opportunity" that won't cost them a fortune or make them hang their head in shame whenever they run across someone they have shared the business with. The simple fact is that most of the "work from home" opportunities that can be found online are scams. At the very least they are difficult make a profit with and certainly have the reputation of a used car salesman (no offense intended).
How do you find a company with a legitimate product that is of value and has ethics that would make one proud to be associated with them? Over the years, several less than reputable "programs" have arisen and there are ways to spot the ones that you would be ashamed to represent.
Here are a few:
Value: Does the company offer a product of value? Does their pricing represent a true savings over comparable products and is this fact easily understood by potential customers. Would you buy this product at the offered price if it were not attached to a business opportunity? It's pretty tough to sell someone juice for more than supermarket prices, even if selling it will make them a millionaire!
Support: Does the company have a physical address and a customer service department with real employees? Is there a phone number to call in an emergency. This is less important lately due to the rise of online business opportunities and the popular and advanced communication methods that are now available. If the company consists of a single 35 year old hermit who runs the business out of his mom's basement, you should probably run in the other direction!
Marketing Materials: Does the company offer any help in spreading the word? Do they give you a website? Email templates or other marketing materials? Most reputable companies will have working capital to begin with and will offer unlimited support to ensure member's success. If you send in your investment without knowing what you are getting in return, there's a good chance that you will never see that money again!
One has to be wary these days as the wolves circle the campfires of the downtrodden. There are a lot of programs that offer huge (unobtainable?) incomes in return for a "meager" investment that will sometimes reach into the thousands. While not all of these are scams, many are simply so difficult to show a profit with or so difficult to understand that most will simply throw in the towel after a few weeks which is usually the goal of the presenter.
Keep your guard up and do your research and always be skeptical. Don't believe the hype and ask for proof of the presenter's claims. You'll find many out there that loudly brag about the loads of cash you can make with their program but never tell you how to do it. Any ethical and legitimate company will have no problem sharing this information with you. If they have a problem with this, you are probably talking to the wrong hombres. This will keep you safe and, more importantly, keep your hard earned cash where it should be; in your pocket!
