1. If you're considering doing business with a work at home company, get the name of the company and their address and call directory assistance for their telephone number. If the company does not easily give you their name and/or address, forget them. If they are not listed with directory assistance with the same company name they gave you, they're probably not a real company! (Real companies are registered as real businesses and have real telephone numbers.)
   
2. Use your common sense. How could any company pay you several dollars for stuffing one envelope or entering one name and address? Get real!
   
3. Check with consumer agencies but don't let that necessarily be the only deciding factor. Most true scammers can outsmart the Better Business Bureau as easily as changing their name, address and/or telephone number while many legitimate work at home companies can get the misleading appearance of having a dubious record by doing nothing wrong but staying in business under the same name for a long period of time. Any work at home company that serves a large number of people will acquire complaints over time, even if their products and customer service are very good.

For most families working at home is a less stressful, healthier lifestyle that is better for everyone in your family. Go forward toward your work at home career but stay clear of work at home scams by using these three steps to help you make sound decisions.