Job security is becoming a thing of the past. Not only is it getting harder to find a job, you never know how long you're going to stay employed. Even if you are one of the lucky ones with a great job, the rising costs of gasoline and daycare sometimes makes you wonder whether it's worth working out. More people are now looking at working from home as a better solution.

The number of home-based businesses is growing every day. The "Help Wanted" ads in the newspapers are filled with work at home opportunities but the problem is finding one that is legitimate. Ads like "Make $1,000 In One Week" sound too good to be true and in fact, they are. I have learned the hard way not to believe everything you read. I have sent in a lot of money to these various "businesses" only to find out they are nothing but scams.

A lot of these "scam" businesses ask you to send them money to pay for the cost of the start-up kits. Legitimate home-based businesses do not ask for money up front. Why should you pay a business to start working for them? Another thing to watch for is the information they give you in their ad, or rather the lack of information. The fake companies give you a vague idea of what the work consists of, but when you get the start-up package, you find that they weren't totally honest about what you have to do to make the "easy" money they advertised. Legitimate businesses also have phone numbers or an e-mail address in case you need more information about their company.

The best thing to do when finding a business ad for at-home work is to check out the business with The Better Business Bureau. If the company is not in "good standing" with them, it's a good idea to throw away the ad. There are also a lot of on-line Work At Home Forums where people talk about their experiences with different home-based businesses and where you can ask you own questions. In short, the best thing to do is research the business before making any obligations - it can save you a lot in the long run.

Learn more about this author, Wendy Brooks.
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