It seems that nearly every day there’s something in the newspaper or on the news about scams targeting people looking for legitimate work from home jobs. The scam artists are getting more sophisticated, making it more and more difficult for the average person to tell if an opportunity is real or not.How can you determine if something is for real? Here are some things to look for:—Unsolicited e-mails. If you didn’t sign up to receive more information about an Internet-based opportunity, you should probably stay clear. Scam artists are good at sending out real-looking notices, even tapping into e-mail accounts of friends and relatives and using them to target unsuspecting people. Most legitimate work from home opportunities have a no-spam policy and will never send out unsolicited e-mails.—Contact information. You should be able to contact someone in person before you spend any money on an online business opportunity. Legitimate businesses should allow you to get more information about businesses before getting out your credit card—and that means talking to someone on the phone.—Crazy claims. As much as most of us would love to believe we can make $10,000 a week, any business that guarantees such riches should not be trusted. Sure, some businesses do have that potential, but no one should promise such riches. It can be exciting to see high earnings, but this is one case when you should let your brain do the thinking, not your wallet.—Slick websites don’t mean a business is legitimate. Con artists know how to create a legitimate-looking website, they know what words will work to entice someone, and they know many people are desperate for an easy way to make big money. There is no easy way to make money. Legitimate businesses require hard work and dedication and should clearly outline what the business is about. The best online businesses are straight forward about what is required to make good money. While legitimate Internet-based businesses do have the potential to create wealth, they still require hard work.—Fake associations. Many scam sites will put logos proclaiming membership with such organizations as the Better Business Bureau or similar organizations that either do not exist or are not legitimate oversight organizations. If you have any questions, contact the association directly to determine membership.—Testimonials. Most legitimate sites have them, but so do the scam sites. If you really want to do your homework, ask to speak to one of their references in person. If they start running the other way, so should you.The majority of Internet-based businesses are legitimate, but they also vary in their ability to make money. Do your homework, ask questions, and don’t be afraid to pass on something you don’t feel 100 percent comfortable with.