Being active users of the internet, we all come across so many tempting business offers. Most of us would love to be able to quit our mundane job that takes all of our time and energy. Most of us think "I know there is a way to make money on the computer, and some day I will sit down and figure it out.

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Every time an advertisement or website catches your interest, you can not help but wonder if it could actually work, and then you could work from home and spend more time with your family. There is nothing wrong with that! Sometimes change is good, or sometimes you just have to take that chance. But since there is so much riding on any decision you may make, especially money, shouldn't you step back and take a second look?

First off, and very important, never ever take an ad for what it says. There are no guarantees that advertisers tell the truth. They want to sell to you, and they will tell you whatever it is that you want to hear to get you interested. Now, there are many legitimate businesses that will not steer you wrong. But, please do not take them for face value. Don't jump in with both feet without taking the time to investigate.

I have always felt that MarketingTrendz.com has done a good job in trying to educate our readers as far as dealings on the internet. But the fact is, most of the people I hear from have all learned the hard way about the offers they find on the internet. My thinking in sitting down to write this warning to you is- Do you need to burn your hand to know that fire is hot? Can we not learn from other real experiences and save ourselves from a lot of trouble?

There are many ways to verify that a person or business is what they claim to be and believe me (and everyone who has gone through this) it is worth the extra time and research to protect yourself. Below are some web addresses that I personally find useful and have book marked for my easy access.

- Check the website registration. http://www.networksolutions.com/cgi-bin/whois/whois Do this with all domains you are interested in buying from. Of course, they need their OWN domain for this to work.

- Verify names, addresses and phone numbers. http://www.infospace.com/ Not everyone comes up in these directories, but it only takes a few seconds and can make you feel more sure.

- Look for a membership to an association for protecting consumers. http://www.scaminator.com/cobra/directory.htm There are solid guidelines that members must follow. Remember: Also look for their listing in the association's directory. That way you know they haven't just stolen a graphic and are pretending to be a member.

- Stay up-to-date about circulating scams. http://www.scaminator.com http://www.scamwatch.com/scams/sacm001.html There are many other places to read about scams. Look around, you might save yourself a lot of problems.

Other things you should do:

- Contact the actual people of any testimonies that are given. This can shed a lot of light on the business in question.

- Check out the company at your local Better Business Bureau and Attorney Generals office in your area.

- Make sure all phone numbers to the company are working numbers. Call them or check with the local phone companies and directories to see who the phone number is listed to.

- Look for a street address for sending payments. Never send to a PO Box. If they refuse to give the street address to you, that is a good indication that there is something not quite right.

These are just a few things you need to get in a habit of doing. Even if it seems like a huge pain, it is the best action to take for yourself. No one else will be looking out for you. Your Caution is Required.

About the Author:
Written by Sara Hardy Owner of MarketingTrendz, and Publisher of The OnLine Exchange Ezine. To subscribe to her ezine goto: http://www.online-exchange.com This will automatically make you a member of The Profit Zone, a FREE Members Only Club that gives you unlimited access to FREE marketing tools, ebooks, resources and more!