friendly advice, anyone?

[floatingleaf]

OK, today I have a question for my dear LJ-friends (or anyone else who might happen to be reading this post). I just spent a few hours browsing various websites that offer "work from home" opportunities. And I don't mean some ridiculously unbelievable "get rich" schemes - even I am not that naive, lol - but simple online data entry programs that supposedly pay a few thousand (USD) a month. Now, before you start laughing at me, let me just say I was extremely sceptical myself at first; but what gave me pause was the fact that some of these websites are actually recommended by consumer protection organizations. Of course, there is an entry fee to get registered with any of them - usually somewhere between $50 and $100. There is also a "money back guarantee" in case you're not satisfied after a given period of time. And suposedly you can earn back that amount and more during your first day. And it's not like I cannot afford losing fifty bucks... it's just that I would feel like a complete miserable idiot if it turned out to be a scam after all. Of course, there are plenty of glowing reviews by other registered users; but I don't know these people and have no way of verifying whether they actually exist, let alone tell the truth. So I would feel much better about it if someone on my flist told me they actually know someone who is working and earning money this way (any kind of money, not necessarily a few thousand dollars a month). Because, to be honest, the one thing that bothers me most is that the very possibility of making money while typing stuff into my own computer seems so tempting I find it hard to understand why anyone in the world would still want to have any other kind of job instead of doing just that... lol. So why isn't everyone else doing it?... Why don't I personally know anyone who is?... I am just curious and intrigued - as well as still rather cautious and hesitant, you know?

Yes, it would be heaven on earth to make money without having to get up at some ungodly hour and then deal with bosses/coworkers/rush hour traffic/nasty weather etc. Too much to ask for? Probably. But I can dream, no?... *wistful sigh*

Comments

[(Anonymous)]

I don't know anyone who earns a living this way but I think you may try. Why not? You have nothing to lose. Except 50 bucks :o)
Lestat

[floatingleaf.livejournal.com]

Heh. Everyone else said steer clear of that kind of shit, LOL. But I just might listen to you, you know...;) (at least if nothing happens on the job front for next few days...:P)

[oceansecrets2.livejournal.com]

I agree that if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. My husband has been contacted by several of those type of people, it sounds good at the start but there are always more charges hidden as you start to dig deeper. You're right, if the opportunities were there everyone would be doing it.

[floatingleaf.livejournal.com]

You know, the realist in me totally agrees with you - but the naive, hopeful part of my brain is still intrigued... *sigh*

[crowdaughter.livejournal.com]

I would leave my hands off anything and anyone who asks me to spent money fiirst so I can then getting paisd for working for them. Excuse me? You pay an entry fee so you can do *work*? Sounds really, really bad to my ears, and I would suspect that there is a nasty big catch somewhere.

My advice: leave it! Or at least gain more information, for example ask some of the consumer organizations recommend it and what kind of work it really is, ask the side owners some more questions before you registzer, and so on. I can think of nothing legal that can be done from home and earn you a few thousand dollars a month just by entering data. I think it sound too good to be true and all they want is your money.

Aislynn

[floatingleaf.livejournal.com]

You're probably right. Supposedly the data entry work consists of composing simple ads from the keywords they provide, and it pays so well because thousands of companies worldwide want to advertise themselves online, and this is the part of the job that the computers cannot do by themselves, so they need people for it. It sort of makes sense, but I wouldn't be surprised if there was a catch somewhere - the earnings just seem far too high. In fact, it's supposedly possible to make a few thousand a DAY, by working just a few hours (a few thousand a month was a pessimistic version, LOL). The power of the internet and all that shit. And that's exactly what makes it look like something not quite legal to me. So yeah... should probably listen to you and forget about it. *pouts*