Is it possible to make money online? Yes it is. However there are many dubious opportunities and downright scams out there. So how do you tell the legitimate online work at home programs from the others? Here a few common sense approaches.

1. If it sounds too good to be true, it is. There’s a program making the rounds that says you can make $15 for filling out rebate forms. The forms in the ad are short and look rather easy to fill out. So let’s assume you could fill out one form in 10 minutes. That’s 6 forms per hour. Now at $15 per form times 6 forms that’s $90 an hour.

You shout, "Wow. Great. I’ve found the best opportunity. Hardly any work and $90 per hour." Think about it. Why would anyone pay that much money to fill out rebate forms? They could hire a person to work at home for less than $20 and hour. And believe me people would jump at the chance to work at home for $20 per hour. Forget it. It’s a scam.

2. Hidden charges. I was all ready to sign up for a business in a box. I filled out the payment form. And I noticed at the bottom of the form something about I agree to pay the all ongoing charges. So I went back to where the charges were listed and in an almost grayed out area very hard to see were the words $17 monthly charge.

Now this charge was not listed anywhere on the sales letter. The sales letter even said free web hosting for life. I should have known then that no can offer free hosting for life. Be sure to read everything. Maybe if I had been informed of the $17 monthly charge I would have been willing to pay it. However trying to sneak it in made me immediately think scam.

3. I have to admit, I don’t like multilevel marketing. If you do, don’t read this section. I sent in $9.95 for two CD’s about making money. The CD’s contained nothing but testimonials. No information on what the program was about. And if you didn’t return the CD’s within 14 days you would be charged an additional $39.95.

Someone did call me. And it was a MLM program. The cost to sign up was over $400. And basically it was just trying to get others to buy the same program. Not anything I wanted to do.

So is it possible to make money legitimately on line? Yes. There are reputable online work at home opportunities. But you must be vigilant and go with a program from a proven marketer. And, if it sounds too good to be true, it really is.