Airdate: March 17th, 2009

The advantages of working at home are obvious…you can save money on gas, clothes and possibly child care.

Plus you gain greater control over your schedule.

But there is a big disadvantage for those looking for a work-at-home opportunity. Most of the offers out there are scams.

Here's Seven-On-Your-Side's Jason Pederson.

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Calls to buy merchandise on television are routed to some call center where hundreds of operators are standing by waiting to take your order…right? Wrong.

(Pat Buck/Conway) "I really enjoy the freedom and I enjoy the people I get to speak with throughout the day. The company I work for is very helpful…if you need help or assistance they're right there a phone call away."

Pat buck works out of her home in Conway, taking orders for a home-shopping channel. Pat is one of tens of thousands of people who work at home, employed by West at Home (www.westathome.com).

West uses stay-at-home workers like Pat to meet the communication needs of companies, organizations and government agencies. Pat tries to schedule 20 to 30 hours each week.

(Buck) "I work when it is convenient for me. work some in the morning, some in the afternoon and some in the evening. Seven days a week…if I choose. Sometimes I take a day off and sometimes I don't have any work available so I have to take off."

Pat learned about her current job from a friend and checked it out at one of her favorite web sites, www.ratracerebellion.com.  The site prescreens work-at-home job offers to help protect seekers from scams. It reports that 56 out of every 57 at-home job offer is a scam.

There are currently 77 companies listed that hire at-home telecommunicators, which is what Pat does.

Most pay $7.00 to $12.00 dollars an hour so nobody is getting rich…and there is lots of competition.

(Buck) "It is very hard to get hours…especially now without having holiday time. People are scrambling to pick up hours right now."

Promises of fantastic pay to work at home is a sign of a scam. In fact, if the phrase "work at home" is used to describe a job…that in itself is a red flag. Watch out for job offers that claim no experience is necessary. Beware if the job finds you rather than you find the job and if applying for or getting the job costs you money, think twice.

(Kevin Andrews/Hot Springs) "I bit and I bought and I got burnt."

When Kevin Andrews wanted help getting his online, stay-at-home business started he went to an informational meeting put on by storesonline.com.

(Andrews) "The following Thursday there was a training seminar in Little Rock. An all day class. So I went to the training seminar…which was very little training and a whole lot of sales."

High-pressure sales according to Andrews. He spent six thousand dollars for website support selling Christian-themed merchandise. Andrews later learned he could get the same help for much less.

(Andrews) "I ended up getting hooked up with Go Daddy which is ten dollars a year and I've got a site up and running now. It's up behind me (www.christiangiftsnow.com).  And I'm already making income and it took me a week to get it up and going."

Thankfully Andrews got a refund.

And even though pat has had a better experience, she admits working at home is not for everybody.

(Buck) "No I don't think it is for everybody. I think you have to be a special sort of person to be able to enjoy the solitude. And patience. Because sometimes it does take a great deal of patience with people."

Jason Pederson, Channel Seven News.

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