Home Income Strategies
72Published: May 17, 2007
Revised: November 22, 2011
Income at Home
Income at Home as a program, involves selling products for a company known as Herbalife. Radio listeners hear the advertisements for Income at Home on major talk show programs and go online to join the program or learn about the opportunity with the expectation of earning home income online. One of the radio show' testimonials state that "income at home brings business directly to my kitchen table." Many of the sponsors also state there is "no selling soap" involved.
When prospects visit the income at home web site they are redirected to another web site for a company called the online business system. where just enough information is presented to persuade the prospect to fill out a form requesting more information. The income at home promotions do not lead to a company named income at home that helps individuals earn a home income online. The income at home business does not exist, the company is the online business, or OBS for short.
Filling in the form on the landing page for the online business takes the visitor to a sign up page that waives the normal membership fee of $39.95, all the visitor must pay are the shipping and handling costs of $9.95. Needless to say, the visitor must use a credit card to pay the shipping and handling costs and if the prospect retains the program materials for 14 days the $39.95 fee is automatically billed to the card used to cover the shipping and handling charges. There are no free lunches.
The opportunity promotes products for a company called Herbalife, which is where the "no selling soap" on the radio spots is derived; you sell vitamins, not soap. Although selling is involved in the opportunity, no false advertising exists because the radio ads claim "no selling soap."
Business to Your Kitchen Table
As stated above, the radio promotions include testimonials claiming that "income at home brings business to my kitchen table." Is this a true claim?
The claim does not state that there is no charge for that business and the online business system provides leads to distributors, for a fee. Therefore, the claim may be true; although the claim is somewhat misleading.
Distributors participating in the online business system maintain some ongoing monthly charges, those charges include, but are not limited to the following:
- back office access fee
- bank processing fees - $55 per month
A prospect who joins the program faces monthly charges before even making a sale. The bank processing fees are necessary to accept credit card payments; remember the shipping and handling charge above. paying back office fees are necessary to gain access to the online business system, which is where the distributor obtains leads, for a price; a very high price.
Those leads for a very high price generate the business to the distributor's kitchen table, which only distributors with the ability to pay the very high price will ever see.
If an individual is looking for a job to earn home income, this is an opportunity to avoid. The opportunity only exists for people who want to start a business and have access to lots and lots of money.
Employees who Work from Home
When looking for employment opportunities comprised of work at home programs, a job seeker should take an inventory of his/her skill set. Most conventional jobs that permit an employee to work from home will include very stringent skill-sets.
Medical transcription specialists, writers, and individuals with intense technical backgrounds have the types of skills that could permit them to carry out their job functions from home. Employers, however, will seldom advertise the opportunity in a way that attracts an individual seeking opportunities to work from home. These opportunities are typically revealed during the negotiation phase of the interview process or after a person has accepted a position and sometimes the negotiation to work at home will not occur until long after the individual has filled the position.
Organizations typically like to control the environment and activities of employees and this control is difficult for them to achieve in a work at home environment; especially for hourly workers whose time may require verification. For this reason, most work from home opportunities exist in the realm of business owners.
entrepreneur
 | Amazon Price: $8.99 List Price: $9.99 |
 | Amazon Price: $13.68 List Price: $24.95 |
 | Amazon Price: $11.71 List Price: $17.95 |
 | Amazon Price: $12.72 List Price: $26.00 |
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Sorry to Burst Your Bubble
There are very few legitimate work from home job-opportunities. Most of the promotions that are sent out by email through opt-in programs or spam are in fact MLM or pyramid schemes. The typical strategy is to lure an unsuspecting victim with the proposed opportunity to earn money in data-entry or by stuffing envelopes. The applicant pays a fee and receives instructions on how to lure other unsuspecting victims. Typically by selling the exact same electronic-information that attracted the applicant in the first place.
One tip off to this type of scheme is the promotion of an existing down line that the participant will receive as soon as the fee is paid. Another sign is when exorbitant amounts of money are specified in an add like "make $5000 in your first month." The final tip off is when the applicant must pay a fee to join in on the opportunity. The truth of the matter is that most legitimate work-from-home or telecommuting positions are offered to existing employees of organizations to increase productivity or reduce costs. Legitimate opportunities do not require employees to "pay to work."
Many of these strategies are geared to attract those who are currently unemployed or down on their luck. Desperate times and circumstances call for desperate measures and scammers and con-artists know this. They take advantage of the trusting nature of the human mind to lure unsuspecting victims. People feel that since they receive an email or visit a site that offers an opportunity, the opportunity must be legatimate.
Be Your Own Boss
This country was built on the idea of entrepreneurship, or owning ones own business. In fact in the early days there were very few businesses not owned by the people working them. Farming was the largest industry and tradesman supported the work going on in the farms. Carpenters, blacksmiths, and other trades lived near the people who needed their services and business transactions were locally contained. With the exception of imported goods.
People can still work for themselves and not report to an employer. However, to most people, the idea of working at home means that they will find a so called opportunity, sign up, and spend the rest of their time on the beach collecting 20%. Thiis is the ploy presented in the advertisements for most of the get-rich-quick at-home swindles like RebateProcessors.com. The people collecting the 20% are the ones who formulated the opportunity. Think about it, if these opportunities worked then these companies would not need to charge people to join. But most of these opportunities are only opportunities for the marketers of the opportunity.
Working at home takes time and planning to set up. If you are working a job, do not quite and expect to get rich over night. Instead, work slowly at whatever opportunity you find and grow your business. When you have established yourself, then resign your full time position. As far as the opportunities that are out there, be creative and find a niche to fill. If you really want to work from you can, but it takes time to set up.
Honest Opportunities
- The Life of Computer Disposal
Many people have posted comments to inquire about legitimate work from home opportunities. Work from home does not mean sit at home. Check this hub out if you want information on a legitimate opportunity.
Helpful Resources
- Entrepreneur.com
This is a good resource for those thinking of starting a business. There is also a special section for mothersthinking of starting businesses. - The Entrepreneurs Help Page
This site provides useful resources for the small business owner.
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There are so many scams online and it is really sometimes difficult to find a real business opportunity. But I agree fully that if you have to pay upfront to work online it is almost 100% scam. Thank you for warning people.
I have noticed more interest in working from home since the economy has gone down the toilet.
Thank you, Brandon.
One of the reasons for publishing this hub is to help people do just that. All suggestions toward achieving that goal are welcome.
Danny, Allston and Clare are all made up names from the make $ with youtube scam. I called them up and told them that I wanted a full refund or I would post a video telling everyone about their scam. They gave me my $ back in the snap of a finger. I don't know how these con-artists get away with their lies. PLease people LISTEN, these people are scamers. GET YOUR $ back!
Allston, Danny and Clare are all made up names from the youtube $ scam. Read above their bogus posts here and you will find many people who got scammed by making money with youtube. Links and phone numbers are probvided so you can get your money back.
Thanks for this!! Nearly went with the Angel Stevens scam! Was a little sceptical so thank you again!!
Just want to let you know, I left my banking jog of 10 years and I have a legitimate work at home job as an employee. I get paid every two weeks and to God belong all the Glory.
This is a great site. I am in the process of starting my own mobile invitation business, but I'd like some extra income in the meantime. I have kids in school who I pick up, so my need to work at home is understandable. It's been really tough trying to get accurate information on possible, LEGITIMATE work-at-home opportunities. Thanks for this.
Thank you for your website. I was looking up Dr. Richard Andrew Stera's name on google and didn't get anything but his advertisement for "work at home" scams HE found. I thought it odd no info on the man. Just a scamer offering his scam. I found your website on the 2nd page of my google search which most people don't go to.
I just saw a video on Youtube about this scam. Everyone should take a look at it. Very informative and it even has links to this bogus Youtube site and what to do. Thanx to whoever made it. The video is titled
Making mony with You Tube DVD or Weboffer-V , SCAM
Type it in. You won't be sorry.
I just saw a video on Youtube about this scam. Everyone should take a look at it. Very informative and it even has links to this bogus Youtube site and what to do. Thanx to whoever made it. The video is titled
Making mony with You Tube DVD or Weboffer-V , SCAM
Type it in. You won't be sorry.
Just spoke with a Chris female at you tube and told her I got the disc but cancelled the account she said I did not and the disc is 99.99 iI said I paid s&h and that was all I had to pay and I did not even get a chance to look at the disc. I also told her my bank is ruting payment she said ok. big deal . You Tube sucks as they work thru Web Offer - V they wanted to know the name of who I cancelled it with of course who gets names but from now on I will.
Stephen, Look at my comments 2 or three rows above yours. Call the number and use the info I posted. I got my money back and so can you. These people are frauds. Tell them you won't take no for an answer.
The number they gave up top was a travel agency. What is their real number. And what do I need to file a claim through BBB. They said I either need their phone number, company name, city and stater, or url. Someone help please.
Stephen,
I believe you can file a report with any branch of the BBB. There is, however, no guarantee that you will be able to get back your money.
Do i only have to talk to the BBB of Salt Lake City and Arizona or any BBB near me to get my money back?
You can never go wrong if you investigate an opportunity before you jump in.
Thanks so much for the 411 on this. That "so called Angela Penbrook" scam was striking my fancy but then that "too good to be true" cliche came into mind. I almost ended up gifting $200 to these money grubbers. So glad i did my homework by coming to this site for recieving the wisdom you shared with everybody else that almost "fed the gulls." NOBODY SHOULD PAY TO WORK. PERIOD.
They refunded my MONEY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I won! Everyone call 1 888 255 0848 and get your money back. It only took 4 days. Say the words BBB of salt lak or Arizona, small claims court and prison and they cave. They are such frauds. Somboy should make a Youtube vido to warn people. BY THE WAY THE DVD THEY SENT ME IS BLANK. Good luck everyone and don't let it happen again. We can all learn from this.
Mr X There are three things you need to do to get your money back and stop this. 1) contact your bank and report it as fraud. 2) file a complaint with the Salt Lake City BBB----see my post above. 3) call 1 888 255 0848 and talk to a supervisor ( it will probabpy be a woman by the name of Jan) tell her your complaint,what you have done as far as the BBB and your bank and demand a refund.
Hope this helps
Gene
ATENTION EVERYONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I just called the number on the second hidden page of terms and agreement and got a hold of them. I takled to a supervisor named JANE agent number 118. I chewd them out for 30 minutes and then she said they are refunding my money. They gave me a refund number also and said 7 to 14 day until the money goes back into my account. I don't know if iy's because I live 20 minutes from their call center in PLEASANT GROVE UT or because I said I failed with the BBB of SLC but they said my money id being refunded. I will post agin when the money is back in my account. THEIR NUMBER IS 1-888-225-0848.
Their call center and mailing is doen from PLEASANT GROVE UT.
pobx.11158 Pleasant Grove UT.84062.
Just had 99$ taken out of my checking account today. I am pissed. I am going all the way with this one. Did somebody say they charge another 49$ bucks a month!!!!!!! Hold crap! I am so pissed. How do I stop it can somebody help me????
Gene,
Thanks for the update and resource info.
More on the weboffer-V scam. I have filed a complaint with the Salt Lake BBB on this. It seems the billing info is from Scottsdate AZ but the compny is "Making money with you tube" pobx.11158 Pleasant Grove UT.84062. I also notified my bank.
Has anyone else had any results on this?
Gene Wild
genewild@cox.net
Dwayne here. Same exact problem, I received an offer for $1.95 and I DID read all the terms and conditions, never was there any mention of $99.00 and a $49.95 fee monthly.
This is a scam, and I am going to my bank Monday. This caused me a overdraft my checking account.
I want with First Tennessee Bank, I will keep this post notified if I run into any problems.
On the itemization of the first het these clowns did to me there was a pfone #: 888-255-0848. It seems to busy a lot.
The withdraw haled out of Scotsdale AZ. I'm contacting the BBB in Scotsdale. If you get through on the phone #, tell us all in this forun Thanks.
Yamiko,
Thank you for the feedback. I would hope that people who read the information contained on this site will be intelligent enough to avoid scams. The fact that the advertisements appear here do not constitute an endorsement by myself. Google displays the adds based on keywords in the text.
Do you realize that one of the adds on this page is for a scam site that was debunked by this website?
Beware of At Home Jobs
98.3% Make Money Sites Are Scams. Learn 3 Tested Ways to Make Money.
Dave I am dealing with the same thing. I have turned it over to my bank. I tried to locate the offer again but have not been able to. Would it be possible for you to send me the terms and conditions information that you downloaded?
Gene Wild
genewild@cox.net
I too was ripped off with the $99 and the $49.99. I also reread the terms and conditions, and there was no mention of these fees. It totally wrecked my bank acct., and the bank doesn't want to reverse the charges, and they're charging me $70 for being overdrawn, which is bogus, because at my other bank, if a charge is going to make me overdrawn, they don't accept the charge, and I don't pay any overdraft fees. My bank is colluding with the scammers, and I'm writing a nasty letter to them because my debit card is supposed to be protected from fraud by Mastercard, just as my other debit card is. My other card, twice I told them of unauthorized charges, and they immediately cancelled that card, gave me one with a new #, and the charges were reversed in 2 wks. All I did was fill a form stating my case. This bank though, the last time I was ripped off, they put me in a conference call w/ the merchant, then they took the merchants side against me. Why would I knowingly incur charges that would throw my acct. into chaos? I live hand to mouth, and I watch my acct. very carefully. Now the $70 I had in the acct. is gone, and they say I owe the bank over $200. It's illegal. Plus, the bank rep told me on the phone of the pending $49.95, and I told her to not let that charge go through, and they did anyway, even though they knew the acct. was already over the limit, and I TOLD her not to let it through. The bank (HSBC) That's HONG KONG SHANGHAI BANK CORP. (CHINA) takes the side of the merchant over their own customers, even though I'm supposed to be protected by Mastercard! And, like I said, my CA acct. won't let a charge go through if it's more than I have in my acct. That is totally BOGUS!
I'm on unemployment as of now, and I need every cent that I have. Well she messed me up real bad for this month. I did not expect that 99 dollars would come out of my check from her. She did not ask for it and I did not give her permission to take it.
Does anyone out there know how to contact her or what would be the next best step towards shutting her down? Tylorbrown
My name is Aleksandr. I have the same problem as David. They took my $99 dollars without any explanation. and they didn't give any contact information.
I'll take the same action as David.
If some one knows the contact info please, E_mail it to me at anzem00@earthlink.net. Thank you, Aleksandr.
This is a scam too. After ordering the CD for $1.97 Weboffer-V took my debit card and charged $99 to join the You Tube group "to Make Money" After the $99 free 10 day period they then charge $49,95 to stay with the drill, but try cancelling the $99 fee the day you get the CD and they use the excuse that you should have read the terms and conditions. I downloaded the terms and conditions and there is no mention of the $99 requirement. I will take them to small claims court if they don't return my $99 in the next 5 days.
I AM SO GLAD TO HAVE RESEARCHED THIS ISSUE. I TOO WAS ABOUT TO SPEND THE LAST OF WHAT I HAD TO POSSIBLY NOT RECIEVE WHAT I WAS LOOKING FOR, AND THAT IS EXTRA INCOME. THANKS FOR YOUR INSIGHT.
Thank you for your candid hub - very true :o)
Whoa! I thank God for your site! Not only did I just about flush $197 down the toilet but also hurting my relationship with my spouse not to mention lowering my self-esteem further. I am tired of working for companies that tear you apart and then spit you out. Not only is the Web an unsafe and unfriendly avenue to take, so is the local job market. I just want to work hard and excel. I had a beautiful job and they sold the company, disolving my position. The last few jobs have beaten me into the dirt. Now the local manufacturing plant is moving to Mexico thus flooding the area with job seekers. Is there no hope?
Thank you for the input and research. Could I give you one polite suggestion. Check for incorrectly spelled words before posting your information online. Sorry, I worked for a newspaper many years and can't help noticing those things. GREAT CONTENT, however!!
hey i was about to join that angel stevens thing when i came across this website thanks
There are probably less than 1 "work at home jobs" for every 1,000 people looking for them. That's why there are so many scams. Work at home jobs are few and far between.
The only way to make a lving working from home is as a small business owner and not as an employee.
NOW THERE'S A SITE THAT HAS A NAME OF ANGELA PENBROOK, NOT ANGEL STEVENS, BUT STILL PLAYS ON THE "ANGEL" ICON OF WINGS. iT SAYS SHE IS A MAJOR PLAYER IN THE FINANCIAL WORLD. ANYBODY HEAR OF HER? I DIDN'T THINK SO..... SPREAD THE WORD PLEASE. AND THANKS FOR YOUR INFORMATIVE SITE BEFORE I GOT DOOPED :)
I signed up with Angel Stevens four weeks ago but she keeps sending irrelevant "Training Material" to the processing of rebates. I wonder whether to process rebates should take more than a week to learn. Can something be done about such people?
I am so happy my credit card was rejected for the Angie Stevens's rebate scam. I just decided to check for fraudulent practices and wham, there it is, anything that sounds too good is a Scam. Thank you, thank you, you saved me 200 big ones
s
Thanks for the infomation. There should be a law against Angie, which I suspect does not exist anyway.
Is there a way to get my money back from "virtual-training-solutiojs.com"?
I like many people who are underemployed and overqualified dream of being financially solvent and having the "Dream Job" offered to you. This one sounds too good to be true. So, following my instincts I checked out Angle Stevens and I too like many of you posting here said the same thing in general. "This is too good to be true" Even the name "Angle" is designed to sucker one into the false folds of her wings. The only person gaining financial solvency is not us but her. Thank you for the opportunity to gain insight into yet another one of those schemes to further deplet our bank accounts and enrich someone who has no scruples or morals.
Angel had me going, I was ready to drop some cash when I came across your site doing some research. Boy am I glad I did. I almost "flushed" $200 bucks down the toilet. I was looking for something my daughter (college student) could do part time from home. I go suspicisous when "Victoria the "chat girl" was virtual and not really answering my questions. Thank you for putting people like me ahead of your own interests. -- Steve in Arizona
It is nice to see such a web site. They really work and I am glad I joined them. You wil make money instantly.
Thanks for your website my sister informed me about. I was about to spend $167 for a work from home job completing rebate forms. It was too good to be true. The part that interest me was the fact that they offered a 60 or 90 day guarantee or your money back. Some rebates are hundreds of dollars so how can they expect someone to pay it upfront? Someone has absolutely lost their minds if this is so.
your website saved me too! thank you. but where do you look for legitimate home based business. I know there's no get rich quick that's legit.
I quite agree. No one should have to pay to work.
You shouldn't spend money to get a job. You may have to spend money on something reasonable like headphones to listen to transcription audio. You shouldn't pay for a work at home kit of any kind!
I was also looking at the Angel Stevens "big money making" offer. I had a feeling it was just too good to be true. My instincts told me to look further into this "opportunity" and I am glad I did. I imagine there has been a lot of people sign up with this site and I would guess they are all wishing they would have investigated it further. Too bad so many people will take advantage of those who are trying to better their lives.
I just wanted to say thanks to..I also got the Angel Stevens email. I read it and laughed because it was to good to be true. I have fallin for all the make money scams..I swear..I did pay $99 for the ad through clickbank advertising online products whereever I could post free ads. I have actually gotten a check for $32.00 from them for my commision. And it came from a Wells Fargo bank account. I fell over when I seen that in the mail. I don't think any of em make the millions they claim ,,but i can honestly say I made money from the net..lol..I havent done it since and well learned my lesson there are NO get RICH quick schemes that work..Hard work and living poor is definately the only way to make it..
I'm disturbed that someone can get away with this and that there is nothing you can do after you get screwed. I was going to do the Angel Stevens thing and I decided to check out her name before I did..that's where you came in..Well I broke my back in the electrical union and now my wife is paying for everything because I am now limited to what I can do..Are there any work from home jobs that you could point in the direction of so I can get my dignity back.
I thought it was a scam too, that's why I researched it. Boy oh boy, there's a wolfe around every corner these days. Anybody with a computer can scam all they want to! I just hate it when people like this Angel person (probably not her real name), Thinks they can get away with scamming some poor unsuspecting folks!
I JUST WANTED TO THANK YOU FOR THIS SITE. I WAS LOOKING AT THE ANGEL STEVENS AD AND CONSIDERING IT. I AM ONE OF THOSE WHO IS REALLY IN NEED AND YOU JUST SAVED ME FROM SPENDING THE LAST MONEY I HAD ON NOTHING. THANKS FOR BEING THERE
Yes, the old saying "if it sounds too good to be true" 99% it is too good to be true. Hard work and Living below your means is the key to financial success.
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Thank you for the comment, bigzorro.