Franchise and Business Opportunties
The Ads:
How it is Supposed to Work:
You send money for information about starting a business franchise from your home. What the sites lack in details they make up for in promises and claims. Many business opportunity deals offer the entrepreneur a pre-packaged small business. Typical business opportunities involve vending machines, amusement games, pay telephones, and display racks for such items as greeting cards and CD ROM computer software.
The Reality:
What they are selling you is the training and support systems. Victims have been lured into spending thousands of dollars with nothing to show for it but a huge debt. Anyone who really had business ideas this good would never offer this information to thousands of others. They would simply use it themselves.
Things to especially look out for in these advertisings are:
- Urges you to call an "800" number.
- Makes wild and unsubstantiated claims about potential earnings.
- States no experience is necessary.
- Promise exclusive territories, good locations for vending machines or display racks, or the assistance of a professional locator.
- Rely on high-pressure telemarketing sales techniques.
- Fails to provide a list of all current business opportunity owners in the region but instead gives a handpicked selection of references.
- Failure to provide prospective investors with a complete disclosure document containing pre-sale disclosures about their experience, lawsuit history, audited financial statements, and substantiation for any representations made about earnings.
More Information:
Still not sure they are scams? Check out these links for more information. Note, these are not links to "legitimate" companies. These are links to articles by the BBB, FTC and other organizations exposing the frauds.
You can also return to the orignal page for more about other Types of Jobs.
FTC Continues to Stop Fraud Targeting Hispanics
FTC and Law Enforcement Partners Continue Targeting Scammers of Spanish-Speakers
Online Investment Opportunities: 'Net Profit or 'Net Gloss?
Franchise and Business Opportunities
Franchising Fraud
Distributorship and Franchise Fraud
Work-at-Home Schemes
FTC Names Its Dirty Dozen:12 Scams Most Likely to Arrive Via Bulk Email
USPS's Work-at-Home Schemes
Work At Home -- Find Out How to Separate the Scams From the Legitimate
Work-at-Home Schemes: Modern Twist to Old Scams
Work-At-Home-Schemes Now Peddled On-Line
Better Business Bureau Warns Consumers of Three Work-at-Home Companies Based in State of Oregon
My Advice:
- Scam Avoiding Strategies
- Ten Tips on Avoiding Scams
- Evaluating a WFH Offer
- How to Spot Affiliate Links
- Questions to Ask First
- Been Scammed Action Guide
Types of Jobs:
- Pay per Action
- Home Assembly and Crafting
- Envelope Stuffing
- Online Surveys
- Mystery Shopping
- Data Entry
- Medical Transcription
- Job Boards
- Franchise Opportunities
- Multi-Level Marketing
My Experiences:
Other Companies:
- Free Surveys
- Pay per Action Sites
- Mystery Shopping Companies
- eBay and Other Auctions
- Direct Selling
- Transcription Jobs
- Customer Service Jobs
- Other Jobs
Connections:
Hall of Shame:
