Not so long ago, I was making my daily rounds to various message boards online that are dedicated to working from home. Alongside the usual, 'Is this a scam?' questions was a disturbing post, which basically said:

'I've come to realize that everything's a scam, not just envelope stuffing, typing jobs and craft and assembly jobs, but also MLM and affiliate programs. They are all scams! I have tried them all and never made any money.'

What's even worse was that there were several people who wholeheartedly agreed.

The Internet, unfortunately, is rife with scams and shams about working from home. There is a huge market of people searching for a work-at-home career -- and plenty of others willing to take advantage of it in whatever way they can. It's no surprise, then, that so many people have been 'burned' by so-called 'opportunities'.

But let me say this: An opportunity is not necessarily a scam just because someone didn't make money.

Yes, you read that right. You see, there's no such thing as a 'one-opportunity-fits-all'. I know that many of the opportunities you see online try to make it seem like 'anyone' can succeed... but it's just hype.

For example, Avon is a well-known and legitimate opportunity. Would everyone do well at it? Of course not. A dog-walking business is also a home-based opportunity. A reliable and experienced dog-lover may do well, but someone with a fear of dogs would not for obvious reasons. That doesn't make the opportunity a scam.

There are loads of opportunities available -- those you can 'join', and those you create for yourself. And although scams appear to be everywhere you look, legitimate opportunities can be found, too.

Here's another example. An affiliate program is where you sell another company's products or services in return for a commission. Now I know from personal experience that most affiliate programs are not scams. Heck, I was able to quit my corporate job because of my success with them!

That's not to say that I succeeded with all of them. There were plenty of programs I joined where I didn't make a single thin dime (or, in some cases, that's ALL I made!). Does that make them a scam? No. It took time, effort, and experimentation before I found the affiliate programs that my audience appreciated.

Healthy skepticism is great, even necessary, when searching the Internet for a way to work from home. At the same time, don't sabotage yourself by putting on blinders and assuming that everything you run across is a scam.

Learn the tell-tale signs of a scam so that you can protect yourself. Do your research. And don't be afraid to ask questions, lots of them if necessary! It may take you 1 attempt or 20 attempts to find the business that's right for you. Can't find an opportunity that suits you? Create one. Opportunity is everywhere!

"You are never given a dream without also being given the power to make it true." (Richard Bach)