“Home-based business opportunities” are growing rapidly; various options and programs are available on the net.

As a matter of fact, the “United States Department of Labor” estimated that by 2025 about two-thirds of Americans might be doing their work in the home.

There are many legitimate home-based “business opportunities” that actually can help you start your journey to “financial freedom”.

However, you need to research and evaluate each opportunity carefully and choose cleverly. You can really earn tremendous income, work the hours and days you desire, be with your family and your “own boss”.

Legitimate home-based business opportunities actually are extremely successful if they are not quick get rich schemes.

U.S. retail online sales, according to “Jupiter Research” will grow continuously of about 17 percent every year reaching 117 billion dollars by 2008.

Valuable internet marketing tools along with prospect or affiliate systems, contact with individuals already earning from the same firm and discussion groups are great ways to assist you in making your home-based business successfully.

Unfortunately, whereas internet marketing indeed is a powerful and effective concept with huge earning potential, there are irresponsible business companies that polluted the online industry with their scams.

So beware! Here are guidelines to determine if the company is a scam or not:

1. Evaluate the company. Check with the “Better business Bureau” and other business and consumer organizations to determine if the firm is indeed a legitimate business home-based opportunity and check how long is the firm in the business.

2. See if a product exists. There has to be. A company with marketing efforts geared towards getting people to “sign up” is considered as getting into a pyramid scheme as outlined by the “Federal Trade Commission”.

3. If powerline, upline, downline, easy , quick, no work, unlimited earning potential, no experience, turnkey, residual income, earn huge money fast, make money even when you sleep or tiers are words used by a company to advertise, then better walk away.

4. Companies that require payment for information or materials are not legitimate business home-based opportunities; if they are, then they must have a budget so to send you free information and materials.

5. Check out the company’s customer support. Check out if “true” persons can attend to you in case you need help and not just machines that answer your calls.

While there really is no proven way to determine that a company is offering a legitimate business home-based opportunity, there are clues and indication that can show you.

Remember, when in doubt, better turn around and look for another. Never be hasty with your decisions. The right timing will come, in due time.