Work at home has become a common practice in today's society as more employers are turning to independent contractors. Contracting jobs to outside parties does benefit employers and greatly decreases company expenses. Many homeworkers don't mind picking up the cost for the opportunity to remain at home.  Medical billing and Transcriptionist are two very common examples.  Both outsource jobs and both require you purchase software. With this in mind how can we determine the real jobs from the lucrative scams. There are precautions you can take. Before you purchase any software for a job or business opportunity read our check list on avoiding scams.

USE RELIABLE JOB BOARDS
Use job boards.  You should not be asked to purchase software until you are actually hired by a company.

GET THE FACTS BEFORE YOU PAY ANYTHING
Get the name and address of the person/company you are corresponding with. A legitimate company will be happy to give you information about who they are, what you will exactly be doing and for whom.

BEWARE OF LEGAL REQUIREMENTS
Some home jobs, such as medical billing, may need a license or certificate. Check your state attorney general's office. Laws may differ state to state so it is crucial to check with your own state.  Ask your local zoning board if there are any restrictions on operating a business from your home. Some types of work cannot be done at home under federal law. Look for the nearest US Department of Labor in the government listings of your phone book. 

DO THE RESEARCH 
Look for articles on the web to research companies. Dmoz or the Open Directory Project (AOL) search engine is a helpful tool. On the bottom of each search page you have the option to research articles rather than websites. You can also purchase the "Work-At-Home Sourcebook" for as little as . 99 cent's at Half.com. The book offers great advice for homeworkers and lists legitimate companies that hire people to work for them at home. You might find some companies hire only local people. Many times not available in your area.

IS THERE A MARKET FOR YOUR SERVICE
Many companies claims that they have customers who need you. This is a common practice for medical billing and craft making industry. Many of the claims may not be true. If the company says it has customers waiting, ask who they are and contact them to confirm. You can also check customers in your area (such as doctors for medical billing services) if they actually employ people to work at home.

REPORT A SCAM
The Internet has opened a door to all kinds of profitable scams. Companies that go unreported are free to victimize honest people looking for legitimate jobs and opportunities. You can help put a stop to job related scams by reporting them to Expert Net Surf. By working together you can help us accomplish a scam free Work At Home Community.

Internet fraud tips from the
National consumers league's Internet Fraud Watch

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