Avoid Work at Home Scams – Our Story

When Dad had his accident in early 2001, our world came crashing down. How could someone in their 20’s who was strong, vibrant, and hard working be struck down so suddenly and told he may never walk normally again?

Thankfully, Dad had excellent doctors who saved his foot and after 18 months of hard physical therapy, he learned how to walk again.

During those first few months, we struggled financially. I had two consulting contracts ending and Dad’s disability income was not enough to pay the bills. In desperation, we searched high and low for a quick way to make money, possibly a work at home opportunity. It wasn’t that we were interested in GRQ (get-rich quick), we simply wanted to PTBQ (pay the bills quick).

What we found, were TONS of scam artists eager to take our money and offer nothing in return.

That 80’s song “Taken In” from Mike and the Mechanics rings in my ears:

♫ Taken in, taken in again
Wrapped around the finger of some fair weathered friend
Caught up in the promises, left out in the end

Taken in, taken in again
Someone saw me coming, a fool without a friend
There’s one born every minute and you’re looking at him ♫

Unfortunately, we fell for an illegitimate direct sale company. We spent $600 for sign up fees and inventory and three months later, the company folded. Ouch! This was a hard lesson learned but one that made us wiser.

Seven years later, there is no shortage of unscrupulous people hocking work at home scams, especially with more and more people using the Internet.

Here are some tips on how to protect yourself from work at home scams:

  • Use common sense.  Remember this wise advice: If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
  • Be wary of companies requiring money up front before providing details of how their business works.
  • If a company offers a money back guarantee, get it in writing.
  • Don’t allow yourself to be pushed into making a quick decision.  Scam artists often use hard selling techniques to close the sale.  If it’s a “limited time offer” that does not provide enough time to think it over, move on.
  • Check out the organization or company.  Make sure to obtain the telephone number, address, and owners contact information.  It’s also wise to check with the BBB and obtain references.
  • Work at home jobs and businesses require time and real effort.  If you are promised “BIG MONEY” with little or no effort, chances are…it’s a SCAM!

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