Labor Day is a great time to reassess the job situation. If you have a job, you’re most likely doing whatever it takes to keep it, maybe even remaining longer than you thought you would. (Retirement? What retirement, right?)
If you don’t have a job, you’re probably desperately looking at all avenues, even those work-from-home ads that litter the Internet and social-media sites. Mystery shopper! Medical transcriptionist! Stuff envelopes! Assemble kits! Rebate processing! Medical billing! Earn thousands from home!
While many work-from-home opportunities and programs are legitimate, a good many are not. It’s up to you to know the difference.
Where to begin?
Just like the key to real estate is location, location, location, the key to making a good work-at-home business decision is research, research, research.
Start by doing a background check on the company. A flashy, professional-looking website does not guarantee the company is on the up and up.
Instead, check out the company’s BBB Reliability Report at bbb.org. The BBB now grades companies A+ to F based on set criteria, including the number of complaints it has and if those complaints were resolved.
You can also check with the state attorney general to see what – if any – complaints have been received. Don’t stop there. Hop onto one or more Web browsers (Google, Bing and Safari, for example) and plug in the business name and “complaints” and see what pops up.
Don’t be afraid to talk to others in the business you’re researching, but be on notice that some scam artists will refer you to shills – those paid to give glowing reviews.
- And don’t shrink from asking specific questions about the home-based job, including:
- What tasks will you be expected to perform?
- Will you be paid a salary or commission?
- What is the basis for claims about likely earnings? What documents can be shown to substantiate claims about potential earnings?
- Who will pay me? And when do 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?
Of course, you could save yourself a lot of time and trouble if first you ask the old BBB standby question: Is it too good to be true? If the answer is“yes,” move on to researching legitimate job opportunities.
Don’t go a day without your BBB. Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Flickr. For more consumer information or to check out the BBBlog, visit wynco.bbb.org or call 970-484-1348 or 800-564-0371.
About the BBB
The Better Business Bureau, founded in 1912, is a champion for ethics and trust in the marketplace. Only businesses that meet the high BBB standards are invited to become BBB Accredited Businesses. Today, 123 BBBs across the United States and Canada rate more than 4 million local and national businesses and charities with scores ranging from A+ to F. Only a BBB Accredited Business may elect to participate in BBBOnLine, one of the most trusted and recognized Internet seal programs in the world.
The BBB serving northern Colorado and Wyoming topped 1.1 million instances of service to consumers and businesses in the last 12 months. These services include reliability reports on local companies and charities, access to companies that can be trusted by industry, help with dispute resolution, and trustworthy information on consumer and business topics.
Luanne Kadlub, BBB media relations manager, 970-488-2044 lkadlub@wynco.bbb.org