The economic recession has put a lot of individuals in a position of having to work from home to make ends meet. The result is the opportunities of earning money while running your home based business. The flipside is a staggering number of individuals who are falling prey to scams. If you are trying to find out if a home based business opportunity is illegitimate, then these simple guidelines will be of help to you.On no account should you pay to apply for a job, never reveal your social security number to anyone or banking details and be cautious about giving out personal information as well. Below are some few things to be on the lookout for when it comes to starting a home business. If you think a home based business opportunity might be a scam, then it probably is, just like the popular adage “If it looks like a duck and quacks like a duck”.Over the year’s medical billing, craft assembly, envelope stuffing as well as email processing have been identified as the most prevalent. They often request you send money upfront. At the end, you will be out of your money or you will become a pawn in a pyramid scheme where the only way to recover your cash back is to con your colleagues into making the same mistake you did.So you believe you might have discovered a legitimate home based business opportunity? You still have to ask some questions. How long does it require for you to receive your earnings? How are you going to be paid? What is the return policy on products that doesn’t sell? How long have the business been in existence? Feel free and ask all the necessary questions. That could be the difference between you earning money and not giving your hard earn money to scammers.The potential of starting a home business is huge; you just have to carry out your research carefully. Scammers are lurking around corner. Knowing what to look for and what questions to ask can save you from being scammed and earning money quick too.