How to spot legitimate work from home opportunities?
Unrealistic work from home businesses have been around long before the internet. These were often ads in various magazines promising millions for doing nothing, just send your money to find out how to do it.
Here are some ways to tell if a business opportunity is real or just too good to be true.
There is no way to contact the company
If the opportunity is real, they will have a real business website with a real business email address at a minimum, not a Yahoo, Hotmail, or Gmail address. You should be able to easily search for people and company name to get more information.
Promises of riches overnight
Any plan that claims you will get rich overnight is a hoax. It just won’t happen. Working from home at a job, or running your own business, requires skill, work, and more work to earn money. You are not going to just set up a business and do nothing and get paid.
They ask for money in advance (and now)
Many MLM (Multi-Level Marketing) ask for money up front, which is a business investment. Even if you don’t like MLMs, some of them are legitimate businesses with real opportunities. However, some jobs or opportunities just want your money. You should have plenty of time to research before you give someone money. Never pay for a job, although an investment in a business opportunity is considered normal.
You feel pressured to act now
If someone has contacted you making lots of promises about winning tons of money and claiming that you must act now or you will lose forever, it is not legit. A real opportunity is going to be there tomorrow.
It sounds too good to be true
You know deep inside that it’s too good to be true, but you’re tempted. Stop. Take some time to research the company and not just the people and places they give you to research. Do your due diligence and stay away if you can’t prove they’re legit.
Random email offer position you didn’t apply for directly
This sometimes happens when you apply for or complete real job opportunities online. They get the information online and then send you unsolicited jobs or offers of advice for a fee. It’s no different than a phone call over dinner making promises to yourself. Erase.
They offer extravagant pay for low salary position titles
This is a common sign of a deception. You’ll see the ad on a seemingly legitimate website that promises a lot of money for many different positions that just don’t make that kind of money. Be realistic. You’re not going to make $45 an hour stuffing envelopes.