Be choosy when applying for work-at home jobs. As you probably know, there are plenty of scams out there. The following are some guidelines you should use when deciding on whether to apply to certain work at home jobs. I hope this article empowers you.

Don't pay

You shouldn't have to pay to work. Some sites offer you a list of work-at-home jobs for a fee. There is so much free information available on the web that you should not have to pay. You are looking for work because you need money. Limit your spending! There are jobs that require you to buy specialized equipment, such as a foot pedal to take transcription or a headphone for a phone. Some work-at-home jobs require you to have a high speed connection instead of a dial-up connection. These are legitimate requests, and if you buy these products or services you should be confident that you will make enough money to cover the cost of doing business and make a profit.

Be Careful of Working for Individuals

There are good people out there who need extra help and would be interested in hiring you. But it's best to avoid working for individuals you have met on the Internet. The main concern is that to legally work in the United States, you will need to report your income to the IRS. An individual who hires you will ask for your social security number and other personal information for income tax purposes. A dishonest person would have the perfect opportunity to steal your identity and your money. Legitimate companies will ask you to fill out a form, for example, a W-9 form, for taxes. I've filled out W-9 forms from bona fide companies and have had no problem. I've also had an individual ask me to e-mail my social security number without a W-9 form. That raised a red flag, and I'm glad that I refused to work for him. I didn't give him my social security number. I'm not saying that you should never work for individuals, just be extra careful if you are new to consulting or working from home.

Be Wary of Jobs that Tout Easy Money

Working from home is rarely easy money. It's work. Your work can be enjoyable, but all of your financial problems will not be solved in a week. Be wary of any company or individuals, claiming that you can get easy money quickly.

Don't Wire Money

Never wire money to the company. It's too easy to lose your money or get caught up in a scam. If the company asks you to wire money to any other company or individual, don't do it. Be safe. Don't be sorry.

Research the Company

Always check the company's standing with the Better Business Bureau (http://www.bbb.org). Not all scam-jobs are listed with the Better Business Bureau, but the organization may have received reports from others who were victimized.

You should also check out the company with the Rip Off Report (http://www.ripoffreport.com/default.asp). You can search through thousands of reports to find out if the company that you would like to work for is listed. You can also file a report if you are scammed.

About the author:

Claudine Williams is a freelance business writer. Find free work at home job leads and business advice on her website http://www.KissDebtGoodbye.com.