Every day, ads for work-at-home jobs appear in newspapers across the country as well as in national magazines, and on the Internet. Some of the offers include stuffing envelopes, assembling products, reading books, reviewing movies, medical transactions, mystery shopping, or selling advertising on the Internet.
Do not expect to find good jobs that pay lots of money for easy work at home. Better Business Bureau suggests using extreme caution when responding to any such offer. While ads claim high earnings or short hours with little or no experience, Bureau files nationwide indicate no evidence of anyone making the promised money. Rarely, if ever, are these ads an offer of legitimate employment.

Generally, these "jobs" require up-front fees for information or supplies, and only the person who ran the ad makes any money. The request for an upfront fee is a big warning sign. If the job is a real one, why should you pay to work at home, any more than you would pay to work in an office? Because these types of companies come and go quickly, the lack of complaints with the BBB is not a good indicator that the company is legitimate. Victims may be too embarrassed to complain, or the scheme may be structured to make it look like the victims did not work hard enough. You should be aware that the United States Postal Inspectors regularly investigate these fraudulent schemes, and that you risk investigation and possible prosecution by postal or other law enforcement agencies if you become involved in one of these schemes.  

This company operates what is called a Work-at-Home scheme. Most Work-at-Home advertising makes claims such as "make money stuffing envelopes, watching TV, making jewelry or crafts." They may promise that you can earn hundreds, even thousands of dollars every week, full or part-time, in the comfort of your own home. In addition to the fact there is little or no demand for most of these work-at-home activities, BBB has determined most, if not all, of the claims of earnings are highly exaggerated.

Not one of the many companies BBB has investigated in the past could substantiate earnings claims. It is important to know that almost all Work-at-Home schemes end up with complaints, even though they may have none when they first start. Eventually, they usually go out of business or face government action. Most, if not all, of these companies require you to pay an up-front fee to them in order to participate in their program. The BBB advises that money-back guarantees often offered by Work-at-Home companies usually contain so many restrictions that consumers rarely get their money back. The promoter may claim that it is all "legitimate" or "approved by the Post Office." It’s not! Postal Inspectors investigate and prosecute people involved in these promotions and you could find yourself the subject of criminal action for mail fraud.

WHERE TO COMPLAIN: If you have already bought into a program you believe may not be legitimate, take these steps: First, contact the company and ask for your money back. File a complaint with BBB in the area where the company is located. Even if the company refuses to resolve your complaint, a number of complaints against the same company may help other callers to avoid the scheme. Complain to the Federal Trade Commission. Although the FTC will not help resolve individual disputes, it will take action if a pattern can be found.

THE BBB PROVIDES INFORMATIONAL AND EDUCATIONAL ADVICE ON MANY SUBJECTS. THE REMAINDER OF THIS REPORT  PROVIDES ONLY GENERAL INFORMATION ON "WORK-AT-HOME OPPORTUNITIES". PLEASE BE ADVISED THAT WHAT FOLLOWS IS A GENERAL REPORT , SOME OR ALL OF WHICH MAY OR MAY NOT APPLY TO THIS PARTICULAR COMPANY.

The Better Business Bureau suggests you resist the temptation to get involved with any work at home Type Company, especially those who require any kind of up-front fee. Never give a work at home company your credit card or bank account numbers. If you have already bought a program you now believe may not be legitimate, take these steps: First, contact the company and ask for your money back. If your efforts are not successful, complain to the Better Business Bureau.
Even if the company refuses to resolve your complaint, a number of complaints against the same company may help other callers to avoid the scheme. You may also file a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission. Although the FTC will not help resolve individual disputes, it will take action if a pattern can be found.

The Better Business Bureau receives more consumer inquiries every year on Work-at-Home promoters than any other type of business. Companies offering such services often advertise in local shopper type papers and business opportunity magazines and/or manuals and on the Internet. Most of their advertising makes claims such as "make $1000 reading books, watching TV, typing, stuffing envelopes, making jewelry or crafts etc".

Often, solicitations will promise you can earn hundreds, even thousands of dollars, every week, full or part time, in the comfort of your own home. Some of the more recent schemes being currently promoted promise easy money doing medical billing, using your computer from home, or offering various Internet services.
In addition to the fact there is little or no demand or market for most of the work at home activities, the BBB has determined most, if not all, of the claims of earnings are highly exaggerated. Not one of the many work at home companies the BBB has investigated in the past could substantiate earnings claims.

Most, if not all, of these companies require you to pay an up front fee to them in order to participate in their program. The Bureau advises that money back guarantees often offered by work at home companies contain so many restrictions that no one gets their money back. Further, some consumers mistakenly believe these companies are employing them. Such companies are not employers and do not offer jobs with their organizations.

(Note: These tips pertain to the industry cited above and do not necessarily track our experience with the company in whose report they appear. In particular, industry complaints referenced below are typical of the industry as a whole, but not necessarily every company in the industry.)  

The Better Business Bureau warns against paying up front fees for work-at-home opportunities, which are often described as voice mail retrieval, reading email, stuffing or mailing of envelopes, processing mail, being a home mailer, updating mailing lists, typing labels, home secretarial work, e-commerce at home, or home computer work. The Bureau’s experience is that these are often a variation on a chain letter. Those schemes are regularly shut down by the United States Postal Inspectors.

If you are calling to complain about a problem with this company, and the complaint involves one of the opportunities just described, please file your complaint instead with the Postal Inspectors by calling 800-372-8347.

Other schemes may be described as medical billing opportunities, reviewing movies, reading books, or home assembly of various products. How do you find a real job, which allows you to work at home? You can sign up with your state’s employment commission or check out the classified ads. Do not expect to find real jobs that pay good money for easy work to be done at home. The request for an up front fee is a big warning sign. Even if the company is offering a home assembly opportunity or a directory of companies looking for homeworkers, we advise caution before paying any up front fees for any reason.

You normally will no more have to pay to work at home than you would to work in an office, if the job is real. Because these types of companies come and go so quickly, the absence of complaints at the Better Business Bureau is not a good indicator that the company is legitimate. The victims may be too embarrassed to complain or the scheme may be structured to make it look like any problems are the fault of the victim.