Knitting and Sewing
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How To Avoid Classic Work-At-Home Scams
   
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Yoga Mat Bag
Making a Yoga Mat Bag
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Making a Yoga Mat Bag
A yoga mat bag is needed because a yoga mat is quite notorious to handle; awkward to carry even if tightly rolled .....
"Be Part of One of America's Fastest Growing Industries! Earn
Thousand of Dollars A Month From Your Home...Processing Medical
Billing Claims!"
You can find ads like the above everywhere--on telephone poles,
in your newspaper, on television and on the Internet. While you
may find these ads appealing, proceed with caution. Not all
work-at-home business opportunities deliver on their promises.
And its been our experience that nearly all of them are scams!
Countless work-at-home schemes require you to spend your own
money to place newspaper ads; make photocopies; or buy the
envelopes, paper, stamps, and other supplies or equipment you
need to do the job. The companies sponsoring the ads may also
demand that you pay for instructions or "tutorial" software.
Consumers deceived by these ads have lost thousands of dollars,
in addition to their time and energy.
Here are examples of several types of classic work-at-home
schemes:
1. Medical billing: Ads for pre-packaged businesses--known as
billing centers--are in newspapers, on television and on the
Internet. If you respond, you'll get a sales pitch that may
sound something like this:
"There's a severe crisis in the health care system, due partly
to the overwhelming task of processing paper claims. The
solution is electronic claim processing. Because only a small
percentage of claims are transmitted electronically, the market
for billing centers is wide open!"
The promoter may also tell you that many doctors who process
claims electronically want to outsource or contract out their
billing services to save money. Promoters will promise that you
can earn a substantial income working full or part- time,
providing services like billing, accounts receivable, electronic
insurance claim processing and practice management to doctors
and dentists.
They also may assure you that no experience is necessary-- that
they will provide clients eager to buy your services or that
their qualified salespeople will find clients for you.
The truth: You will have to sell! These scam artists rarely
provide experienced sales staff or contacts within the medical
community.
The promoter will follow up by sending you materials that
typically include a brochure, application, sample diskettes, a
contract (licensing agreement), disclosure document, and in some
cases, testimonial letters, videocassettes and reference lists.
For your investment of $2,000 to $8,000, a promoter will promise
software, training and technical support.
And the company will encourage you to call its references. Make
sure you get many names from which to chose. If only one or two
names are given, they're probably "shills"-- individuals hired
to give bogus testimonials.
If at all possible, it's best to interview people in person,
preferably where the business operates, to reduce your risk of
being mislead by shills and also to get a better sense of how
the business works.
Very few consumers who purchase a medical billing business
opportunity are able to find clients, start a business and
generate revenues--let alone recover their investment and earn a
substantial income. Competition in the medical billing market is
fierce and revolves around a number of large and
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2. Envelope stuffing: Promoters usually advertise that, for a
small fee, they will tell you how to earn money stuffing
envelopes at home. Later, when it's too late, you find out that
the promoter never had any employment to offer.
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to place the same "envelope-stuffing" ad in newspapers or
magazines, or to send the ad to friends and relatives. The only
way you'll earn money is if people respond to your work-at-home
ad, and pay the same fee that you did.
3. Assembly or craft work: These programs often require you to
invest hundreds of dollars in equipment or supplies. Or they
require you to spend many hours producing goods for a company
that has promised to buy them.
For example, you might have to buy a sewing or sign-making
machine from the company, or materials to make items like
aprons, baby shoes or plastic signs. However, after you've
purchased the supplies or equipment and performed the work,
fraudulent promoters don't pay you. In fact, many consumers have
had companies refuse to pay for their work because it didn't
meet "quality standards."
Here's the catch: In order to get out of paying workers, their
work is NEVER deemed to be "up to standard,"--leaving workers
with relatively expensive equipment and supplies and no income.
To sell their products, these workers must find their own
customers.
Legitimate work-at-home program sponsors should tell you - in
writing what's involved in the program they are selling. Here
are some questions you might ask a promoter:
* What tasks will I have to perform? Ask the program sponsor to
list every facet of the job. * Will I be paid a salary or will
my pay be based on commission? * Who will pay me? * When will I
get my first paycheck? * What is the total cost of the
work-at-home program, including supplies, equipment and
membership fees? What will I get for my money?
The answers to these questions may help you determine whether a
work-at-home program is appropriate for your circumstances, and
whether it is legitimate. To our knowledge, nearly all are
scams!
You also might want to check out the company with your local
consumer protection agency, state Attorney General and the
Better Business Bureau, not only where the company is located,
but also where you live. These organizations can tell you
whether they have received complaints about the work-at-home
program that you're interested in.
But be wary: The absence of complaints doesn't necessarily mean
the company is legitimate. Unscrupulous companies may settle
complaints, change their names or move to avoid detection.
If you have spent money and time on a work-at-home program and
now believe the program may not be legitimate, contact the
company and ask for a refund. Let company representatives know
that you plan to notify the authorities about your experience.
If you can't resolve the dispute with the company, file a
complaint with the following organizations:
* The Attorney General's office in your state or the state where
the company is located. The office will be able to tell you
whether you're protected by any state law that may regulate
work-at-home programs.
* Your local consumer protection offices. * Your local Better
Business Bureau. * Your local postmaster. The U.S. Postal
Service investigates fraudulent mail practices. The advertising
manager of the publication that ran the ad. The manager may be
interested to learn about the problems you've had with the
company. In addition, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) works
for the consumer to prevent fraudulent, deceptive and unfair
business practices in the marketplace and to provide information
to help consumers spot, stop and avoid them. To file a complaint
or to get free information on consumer issues, visit www.ftc.gov
or call toll-free, 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357)
About the author:
Marketing Basics specializes in writing articles that teach,
explain and define basic marketing techniques.
http://marketingbasics.blogspot.com/
Looking for a great home business opportunity? Run your own
high-profit classified ad website! http://snipurl.com/bwdd