Warning: This article may ruffle some feathers because some of you are guilty of the behavior I've identified. Hopefully by the time you finish reading it, you'll see the errors of your ways. If not, tough cookies. LOL
Here are the facts. Yes, most of the opportunities related to work at home are either misleading or a flat out scams designed to steal your money, identity or whatever else the con artists want at the time. Unfortunately that is just the reality of this industry. As such, it makes us all wary of any work at home opportunity. I think that's a good thing considering the nature of the industry. You should be skeptical of everything. I may sound like a broken record (or scratched cd), But it's worth saying again. You should always do your research! Fortunately this is easy to do following the steps in my scam video. When folks do their due diligence, you're able to avoid most if not all scams. Trust me, I've been able to avoid them for years now.
What's interesting about the whole scam phenomenon is that folks seem to use the word loosely in many situations that I don't feel are warranted. So with this in mind, I'd like to take this opportunity to dispel some of this nonsense because it does a disservice to the industry as a whole. So let's get into it.
It's Not A Work From Home Scam If:
1. You didn't or couldn't make money with the company.
Too often folks go into a given business expecting that they're going to make money right away or at all. If they fail at doing this, they run around the internet calling the company a scam. Here's the thing with business, you either succeed or fail. It's that simple. The reality is most people fail at business. That's why so many of them prefer to be employees, there is less of a risk involved with being an employee (or so you've been told).
But just because you fail doesn't make the company a scam. It either means you weren't good at convincing people to take action on a product or service. Or in some cases the company didn't do a good job of training you. Even in the latter case, that doesn't neccessarily make them a scam unless they flat out didn't provide you with ANY type of marketing help. However in most cases it's just folks aren't good at sales and can't look in the mirror and face this. So they take the easy way out and blame everyone else but themselves. Unfortunately the internet easily facilitates this childish behavior. This is why when I do my research I always keep this very scenario in mind, because I know folks can be disgruntle and just want to ruin the reputation of a company. We get comments like that all the time on my various reviews. So I try to read between the lines and so should you! If you happen to be one of the people I'm describing above, do yourself a favor, look in the mirror!
2. You have to pay a fee!
Yes, you read that correctly! Lord have mercy it drives me crazy when I hear news agencies, other authority sites and people run around claiming anything that requires a fee is a scam. Folks seem to be too lazy to make the distinction between a job and a business. With a job, you shouldn't have to pay the employer to work. You've never done it offline and you shouldn't have to do it online for a JOB!
– However for a home based business, in most cases there is a start up cost. Can you start a company like Burger King without money? Well the same applies for an online business. The major difference is that the start up costs will be significantly lower because you're working out your home. But there is a cost involved! If you follow the idiotic blanket advice of all these sites, news agencies and so called consumer protection companies, you would assume that a home based business is a scam! Don't fall for the "okie doke" folks! Be an educated work at home seeker and learn to differentiate between the two.
Now with that said some home based business opportunities will misrepresent themselves as a job. When companies engage in this type of misrepresentation, I can see why folks will then refer to them as a scam. When you do come upon a company like this, you definitely want to avoid them. Any legitimate home based business opportunity will be upfront about this so there isn't any confusion. This is why research is always important so you're in the know!
– It should also be noted that some so called jobs aren't on the up and up either. There seems to be this false sense of security that if a job doesn't charge a fee, it's legit. Again I blame the misinformation pumped out there by many other sites and news reports. The fact of the matter is, there are nasty "jobs" that are just as dangerous even though there aren't any out of pocket expenses. We see reports everyday in our repackaging job scam page. So don't assume a job is legit either just because it doesn't charge you a fee. Research should still be done. (See the recurring pattern here?)
– Finally it should also be noted that sometimes companies are selling you ebooks or training courses related to making money. Some of these courses and ebooks are great. Lord knows I preach all the time it's good to invest in this stuff because the good ones have helped me achieve the success I have. But not all of them are created equally. Again research is the key here, not assumptions! You also want to confirm that the company flat out states they are selling you some information product and not misrepresenting it as a job! If they do then it's probably a company to avoid. But it doesn't mean that all companies selling informational products are scams!
At the end of the day just remember that just because something charges a fee doesn't make it a scam. Always do your research to determine this. Because it can actually be a legitimate home based business, ebook, or training course.
3. You don't like or agree with a company's policy!
This is another one that gets my goat! Company x is a scam because they don't pay enough! Company x is a scam because they banned my account for no reason. Company x is a scam because they use points to pay. Company x is a scam because they require a skill I don't have. Blah, blah, blah, Stop the whining already! Just because you don't like certain characteristics of a company or some of their policies doesn't make it a scam. I don't like that gas prices are through the roof but it doesn't neccessarily make my local gas station a scam. People have perverted the word scam and the internet has made far too easy for them to do so.
Sadly even company competitors and scam artists are getting in on the calling everything a scam act. They are using the word scam as a tool for personal vendettas against companies and individuals. It's one thing to voice your displeasure about certain things. I think that's fine. You should do that! But running around calling everything a scam because you may not like something here and there is ridiculous. It reminds me of 3 year old who will dry snitch on her friends because they didn't play a game she wanted. It's childish behavior and should be viewed as such. So be sure you're able to read between the lines when you read some of these scam reports. They just may be someone with a personal vendetta using the internet to get back at a company or individual.
Bonus Reason:
The following is another one that came to mind after I finished my 3rd reason and I was too lazy to change the title. lol
A company or individual is a scam if they get paid to refer you (aka an affiliate marketer).
I understand why some people feel this way. After all like lawyers, life insurance agents and car salesman, there are some pretty bad affiliates out there. They will personally recommend literally anything that pays them the most amount of money, even if they've never actually tried or researched the given product or service. Unfortunately some of the things they recommend are garbage. This leads some people to make the assumption that all affiliates are bad and anyone that makes money for referring companies is a scam. So I understand the logic but don't agree with it.
The fact of the matter is that in every group of people there will always be one bad apple. It doesn't mean all the apples are bad. For example, in your family you probably have that one crazy uncle, aunt or other family member that acts up after drinking. Does this person reflect your whole family? Does this mean that everyone in your family can't hold their liquor and is going to say or do something reckless when they're drunk? Hopefully the answer is a resounding no!
Well that's the case for society as a whole and the affiliate marketing industry. It's not good to lump a whole group of people or industry together because one or a few act a fool. You have to judge people and companies individually. Aside from the work at home industry, that's something you should apply to your life when you're dealing with other people of different races, religion, political affiliations, etc. When you generalize, you're limiting your experiences. Many of you would have missed out on a lot of the legitimate opportunities I have recommended (that have made you money) if you assumed I was a scam artist because I got paid to refer you to certain companies. Most of you are here to make money and affiliates are too. But it doesn't mean they can't be objective and recommend quality companies.
If you've read enough my reviews you know I keep it real even if I'm an affiliate of a company. I'll give you the pros but I'll also give you the cons of a company I'm affiliated with. If you join and you make money, that's great! Because we both win. If you don't join because you didn't like the cons you read, that's great too. Because now we have built a trust and you may like another company I recommend. So you see, it can be a harmonious relationship. Don't make the assumption because someone is making money to refer you to a company they're bad and can't be trusted. Judge the person by their actions and the information they provide. Are they providing you value even if you don't sign up for whatever it is they're promoting? Or is it clear they don't really care about you and just want to make a sale? There is a difference between these type of affiliates and you can see it if you don't make assumptions.
That's All Folks!
Well I hope all this made sense to most of you. It should if you're a reasonable person which I know all of you are. We all may be guilty of some the things listed above. But I think airing them out helps us get pass them. Help stop the spread of these false scam reports by calling people out on them. I try my best to do this here on the blog. I never discount people's personal experiences. If you've experienced something bad with a legitimate company, I think it's good that it's aired out. So hopefully the company will address it or it helps someone else avoid a problem. Sharing information is great. But let's stop misusing the word scam out on the internet.
It's hard enough finding legitimate opportunities without everyone mudding the water with mistruths and oversimplified advice. Let me know what you guys think. It seems like the word scam is very subjective based on how I see it is used on the web. Let me know your thoughts either way. It may be one of those things where we all have to agree to disagree.
In any event, if you like what you've read you can get more of it, you can do so by subscribing here. If you were actually looking for legitimate work at home jobs, feel free to click here. If you want to know what my top personal recommendations here, click here.
Speak to you soon!
P.S. Shout out to my buddy Steve at IveTriedThat.com, he inspired me to write this piece after I read the following article: I've Tried That is a Scam! His article is perfect example of the stuff I discussed above. I'm sure I'll have to write a similar piece for my own site because there are folks that feel the same way about us. Oh well.
it looks like everyone here is a bot.
seriously, how is everyone talking the same grammar, caps and other stuff?
lol
It’s looks like we have the grammar nazi here. SMH
Uhhh… not sure if you read my article carefully because I basically argued exactly what you said. 😉
lol
I dissagree with affiliates being scams. That is like saying the person handing out a a discount coupon or even a flier for the local coffee shop is a scam because he is getting paid by the coffee shop to do so. Yes I agree there are people who take advantage of Affiliate position but it does not apply to all.
You’re welcome. Glad you liked it.
I agree ruby!
Wow, thanks for this helpful information.
Once again, your article is a great one. However, people also need to remember that when doing their research, there are forums out there where people will bash a company and call it a scam because they didn’t have the experience they were hoping for. These types of forums need to be treated just like a new movie coming out. Just because a critic says it’s a bad movie, doesn’t mean that it is. You have to see it for yourself and make your own judgement. Same with a WAH job or home business. Sometimes, you need to try it for yourself because your experience may be a positive one.
Thanks Ruby!
I totally agree with you. I sort of highlighted this in the article but you’ve really brought the point home! So thanks for the insightful comment!
I’ve definitely seen instances where people were bashing a company but I tried it anyway because the risk was minimal and had a great experience with it.
I always just tell people look for patterns. If most people are saying the company in various websites then chances are it is. But if you see a few pockets of people saying just the opposite then you know they are probably the exception and not the rule. Common sense goes a long way when it comes to this stuff.
I completely agree, too, Ruby. Â I ran across a complaint this week from a
girl claiming that a job referral site was a scam because they
“recommended” that she take an aptitude test to improve her chances, & the affiliate test site charged her $10. Â Of course, she was
completely oblivious until the charge miraculously appeared on her
statement, & furious that taking the test didn’t result in her getting the job {sans the effort to actually apply for it}. Â Honey, they didn’t pull your credit card information out of
the ether. Â Did you think they asked for it because they like you, &
wanted to get to know you better? {Sorry, too snarky?
(snotty/sarcastic)}
It makes me insaner {no, that’s not a typo :-)} to be sidetracked by
all these “innocent bystanders” that can’t be bothered with reading the content, & applying an intelligent assessment, especially if they’re asked for account info. Â Nevermind the fact that other fools will jump on the band wagon, & force people genuinely interested in research to waste time weeding through tons of ca-ca to get to the truth. Â It presents a great argument in favor of selective breeding {Wow, see? Â I bear absolutely no responsibility for succumbing to these people’s ability to transform me into a portentous a**. Â LOL}.
Thanks for another great wake-up call, Eddy…hopefully someone that it applies to will take the time to read it, LOL. Â
LMAO, I thought I was tough. Great comment! Obviously I totally agree with you!
 Wow, that was really, unnecessarily harsh…I have no idea who wrote that…I plead the 5th…somebody broke in here last night & stole the computer I’m using right now…
Don’t back peddle now. lol
Great eye re-opener Eddy. Sometimes these thoughts are forgotten about. What matters the most is the research that is put into a biz opportunity before one plops down the cash. Check the internet via various resources for such issues with a biz opportunity before giving up the green is paramount. After you have been in the “work at home” game you begin to see patterns and can recognize in a minute when something is not right for you. For me researching really does help me avoid major pitfalls. Mostly is this the right biz for the market and for me? All I can say is Research…research…research  know your budget and the market before spending for such items, be aware of any guarantees and how to cancel, check reviews, write ups, forums about such a product, even call the customer service number to talk to someone if there is one (if not the red flag should go up), don’t be pressured with the buying countdown (you know you have only so many hours or days to buy at this special price)? I could go on and on. However knowing yourself is the best research , your work ethic, time and effort. We know that working at home is a different bird of paradise that comes with great initiative, determination, drive and a whole slew of entrepreneur adjectives that determines just how much you can or can not do.
Amen Carla, I couldn’t say it better myself. Ultimately research is the key, not assumptions or over generalizations! You research everything you avoid the real scams and find good opportunities!
 Hi Carla,
Good point about the self-imposed pressure the countdowns can have. Â Have you ever repeatedly logged in & out of those sites? Â Try it…clear your cookies before you close the browser, then reopen the site…amazing…the timer has reset, & you have more imaginary time to make your decision, LOL
AMEN Monica! That’s pretty much what Anna argued as well. There are some exceptions to the whole paying for job thing as well. Great point!
I am getting really tired of the saying “if a job costs money, it’s a scam!”.
Do you know how many jobs are out there that you HAVE to spend money in order to get hired? Â You need to pay $70+ on a guard card if you want to work for a security company. Â You need to spend about $20 or so on a Food Handler’s card in order to work at a restaurant.
You even need to pay hundreds out of pocket for certifications in order to get a specified job like computer networking or accountancy! Â Not ALL jobs that require money upfront are scams and people need to STOP saying that!
This is all very true! A lot of people don’t understand the difference between a job and a business opportunity (which can eventually become a job but does require money to start up). But your article here does a great job of differentiating between the two, and that’s good because it is really hard for people new to the work at home world to understand. And also, many of them have already been ripped off once by something they paid for so they are leery of everything, including business opportunities where a start up cost is to be expected. Â
I try to make the distinction when I discuss scams, but it is difficult because while no, generally speaking you shouldn’t pay to work for someone, there are sometimes these little exceptions. For example, so many of the home customer support work requires that you pay for your own background check, and then there are a few that do make you pay to get your equipment. BUT if you’re applying for something like data entry or mystery shopping and you’re asked to pay for a “training kit” or “membership fee” then that’s definitely a warning sign. Â
Great post, Eddy!
Anna,
Thanks for the kind words. You make some great points about the exceptions with certain jobs. I’ve actually argued in the past everyone has paid for a job if they paid for internet to do a job search, bought a newspaper for the help wanted section, paid someone to write their resume, etc. So you’re right even in terms of jobs there are some exceptions.
I guess ultimately it goes along with my point about not assuming and to do your research! I think just telling folks that much will help them avoid a lot of problems.
Thanks for giving us something else to think about! Great comment!
As I was reading thru the article, I tripped over where you said that you never pay an employer for a job… I guess I was thinking of the exceptions as you two mentioned here. There are actually several service industries where you do indeed pay the employer to work: tattoo artists, hairdressers, carnival workers, even some strip-tease dancers will sometimes pay an up-front fee to work at a particular location. The fee goes to cover such things as rent, utilities, advertisement, etc. In return the worker gets to keep all of the money that they earn from working in that establishment. Although I haven’t seen this type of WAH opportunity, I could easily see where some site would require an up-front monthly fee (to cover server usage, technical support, advertising, etc.), but then let the “worker” keep everything that they earned.
Actually most people are always “charged” these fees although usually they are hidden in that the cost of having an employee is handled before the employee is paid their wages. In my main job I have the unique opportunity to actually see these fees a little more… We are in a service area where we charge our customers what it costs to complete their project including a charge for the number of man-hours it takes to complete. The man-hours fee that we charge is much more than that person’s wages, but this is because all of the other expenses (utility, insurance, building rent, etc) are also included in the man-hour fee that the customer pays. So just because an employee doesn’t see any money deducted from their paycheck doesn’t mean that their employer doesn’t incur any expenses in hiring them.
See that’s why I love my visitors, you’re always adding some additional information and stuff I never considered. You’re absolutely right about all those professions! It just goes to reinforce the point that it’s not good to over generalize when it comes to this industry.
Thanks for the insight Larry!
Everything you say is true. It makes it hard for people new to making an income online to understand the distinction between legit and scam. I have gotten so used to telling any newbie to just avoid anything that charges you without really investigating it. I think most of the scams can be spotted with a quick Google search.But I think those of us who have experience weeding through legit and scam have a trained eye and can usually spot it right away…those who are not (Like myself at one time) can easily fall for them!
Great Post!
Hey Miranda,
Thanks for chiming in! I really appreciate it. Well I’m hoping this article will help newbies have a better understanding of how to identify scams and not fall into some of the bad habits we may have picked up when learning about this industry and scams.
I think a lot of the advice given has good intentions but it’s too oversimplified and will cause people to miss out on some great opportunities. So hopefully this will give folks something to think about. I would just happy if people left this article knowing they should always research and never assume anything. If it achieves that much, I’ve done my job.
In any event, thanks for stopping by! Keep up the good work at http://www.wahadventures.com You have some great stuff over there! We have to stick together and help educate work at home seekers!
I like your article & agree with you on this…research is the main point that people don’t do or don’t know how to do! Â You are a life saver to me since I have had to do my own research on companies before you came on the scene!! I hope that everyone reads this article because it does say so much!!!! Thank you again Eddy!
Thanks Donna! I’m glad you can see my point of view on this. Research is really the key here. I think when folks do that it clarifies a lot of the misinformation out there. Thanks for chiming in!