Just Another Work From Home Scam?

The internet is awash with websites and e-mails offering to show you how you can make money working from home. All too many of these so-called latest and greatest and newest bizopp ideas from supposed millionaire gurus are actually last year’s rehashed and reworked "biz-flops" from people who didn’t make any money on them last year either. Others are never meant to be anything other than just another clever way to separate you from your money, aka "scam" "fraud" or whatever else you want to call it.

Unfortunately, it isn’t always easy to tell legitimate home business opportunities from totally dishonest scams. There are a lot a variables and fewer hard and fast rules than you might think. For instance, some have said never to pay for anything in order to work for someone. That is not true on the internet any more than it is true in the brick and mortar world. It is even less true if you plan to start your own home business.

Conventional employers often ask you to pay for your own fingerprinting, background checks, DMV printouts, etc. Online employers may want a background check. You may need to have certain office equipment that you are expected to provide at your own expense. Some freelance sites allow you to view teaser job offers for free, but if you want full access to everything there is a monthly or quarterly fee. This is legitimate.

However, before you pay anything to anyone, do your homework!

Visit the website of the opportunity you are investigating. Copy and paste the website address (url) into the search box on http://whois.domaintools.com/ . Look at when the domain name was registered. If it was very recently and only for a year or two, you might want to look elsewhere. If it has been a year or more and the registration expires several years down the road, that is a good sign. If the server is blacklisted, that is not good. Again unfortunately, these are not hard and fast rules.

Type the website name - probably the same name as the offer you are investigating - into your favorite search engine. Add "+ scam" or "+ fraud" (without the quotes) and see what comes up. Also type any person’s name into the search engine with the same two additions and also "+ legal action" or "+ lawsuit." Keep in mind that you may get a lot of results for a common name and you need to check whether any of the "hits" are really the person you are looking for. Check with the Better Business Bureau and look for unresolved complaints. Legitimate businesses do get complaints because it is impossible to please everybody, but if you see a lot of ignored or unresolved complaints, that could indicate a problem.

Type the business or offer name into the search engines with the above additions. You have to be especially careful here because you might get hits for a lot of forums where people are venting frustrations. They may have tried something legitimate thinking the money was going to flow into their bank accounts without doing any work. When that doesn’t happen, they cry "scam" or "fraud" when it may not be at all. Perhaps they tried to contact the offer and got no response. They cry "scam" or "fraud" when the problem is really with blocked e-mails. Some internet service and e-mail providers are not very good at discerning the difference between spam and legitimate communication.

If you are looking at an ebook that has been written to help get you started in a home business, investigate the reputation of the person who wrote the book as well as the people who are endorsing it on the sales page. Have they been around awhile? Have they been at this business awhile? Who else is their name associated with and what kind of reputation do they have?

As you can tell, starting up a home business is not something to be taken lightly. You need to spend time - a lot of time - doing research. If you are a praying person, spend time in prayer. Once you are confident you have chosen the right home business for you, pour your heart and soul into it. Make it work for you!

For a selection of Home Business Ideas carefully chosen for moms who want to make money working from home, visit:

123 I Work From Home 4 Me

123 Home-Based-Business-Works-4-Me

A Perfect Work from Home Opportunity: Start a Transcription Business

A transcriptionist is an individual who types verbatim (word-for-word) something that’s been recorded on either a micro-cassette or digitally. If you are looking for a business to start from home, you might consider working as a transcriptionist because it is a legitimate home business that doesn’t require much in terms of office space, equipment or start up costs.

Special transcription software and equipment helps the transcriptionist listen to the recorded material for tape players and digital files. Both generally use a foot-pedal that attaches to the transcriber or the computer and it allows the transcriptionist to start, stop, go back, and slow down the recorded material to keep their hands free for typing. Most transcriptionists also utilize a highly sensitive headset so that the recording is clearer to hear and understand.

As a transcriptionist, you should have a keen sense of hearing and sight, excellent grammar and fast typing skills. You should also be able to work well under tight deadlines, be able to work independently for most of the time and handle the repetition of typing, which can be a strain on the hands and wrists and the back from sitting for long periods of time. A sharp eye for detail is also essential to this job.

If you want to start a home based business doing transcription, here are some ideas to get you started:

· Get training in transcription & typing. It’s important to get the proper training in order to become a skilled transcriptionist. Check out the local colleges, online programs and be sure to pick up your copy of the Transcription Starter Pack.

· Write a business plan. Just like any other business, a business plan outlining how and what services you plan to offer is essential for clarity, setting up your marketing plan and acquiring business capital if it is needed.

· Set up a home office with the proper equipment. Transcriptionists need some specialized equipment. In addition to having a complete home office, you will need to invest in a reliable transcriber, software, and foot pedal.

· Market your services. You can either get work through a large national transcription company or you can find your own clients to work directly with. A good place to start looking is with any business that involves recording of meetings, notes, research studies or educational materials.

Be sure to set up a website where potential clients can learn more about your services, read testimonials and more. Make sure you also have business cards handy as well.

Let others know who you are and what you do. Often, the best clients come from word-of-mouth. Also, always ask your satisfied clients for referrals.

Transcription is in high demand in the US and according to the Department of Labor statistics, transcriptionist jobs are growing at a higher than average rate. Being a transcriptionist is a career that is easily managed in a work from home setting, which makes it a very attractive opportunity.

Recommended Additional Resource:

To find out exactly what it takes to start a transcription business, step-by-step, sign up to receive your Transcription Starter Pack. You’ll find out how to get clients, set your prices and grow your business.