Over 400 calls in one month! Consumers are increasingly contacting the Better Business Bureau regarding work at home opportunities. Because many consumers are intrigued by the promise to earn so much money so easily, work-at-home opportunities perpetually generate numerous inquiries to the Better Business Bureau. Locally, work-at-home offers ranked 3rd for inquires for the month of April 2003.

Work-at-home offers can be found in the help-wanted section of newspapers, posted on street lampposts, and increasingly on the Internet. The majority of these schemes offer consumers the potential to earn money from home by stuffing envelopes, assembling items, processing medical billing, etc. All opportunities require the consumer to send money before getting details.

Please keep in mind that these companies are not really looking to hire anyone. The Better Business Bureau and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service do not know of any legitimate work-at-home offers that have ever produced the income they allege is possible.

Businesses offering work at home are actually running deceptive advertising resulting in netting a profit from unsuspecting consumers. Complaints against work-at-home companies generally allege that once money is sent, respondents are advised to place the same kind of advertisements in their community. In other cases, respondents hear nothing at all from the company. In almost all cases, it is impossible to obtain refunds, in spite of promises and guarantees to the contrary.

Typically, the only one who profits from a work-at-home offer is the person who ran the ad itself. Consumers should be aware that the United States Postal Inspectors regularly investigate these fraudulent schemes, and that consumers risk investigation and possible prosecution by postal or other law enforcement agencies if they become involved in one of these schemes. The Better Business Bureau cautions consumers that no up-front money should be required for any work at home offer or employment opportunity.

It is important to check out any company with the Better Business Bureau at 636-1155 or search the website at www.csbbb.org for local businesses, or the national website at www.bbb.org.