Nowadays, there are so many scams around that finding legitimate, scam free work-at-home jobs can be difficult. However, it is possible to find valuable work-at-home job listings if you know where and how to look. Here a few tips for the motivated WAHM job seeker to help you locate legitimate work opportunities and avoid scams.

Try Conventional Job Boards

Sites like Monster and Careerbuilder require employers to pay a fee in order to post their job listings. Few businesses would dish out money unless they experienced a legitimate need. Therefore, it is more likely that these sites would offer real job opportunities than sites that don't charge a posting fee. When conducting a search, use keywords like "telecommuting" or "freelance." 

Craigslist does have some legitimate opportunities. However, it may be difficult to find them amidst the numerous bogus jobs on the site.  Stay away from listings that are posted in a number of different categories. Also, be careful of posts that ask you to respond to a personal rather than a business email address.

Don't Respond to Vague Listings

Employers want to find well-qualified job applicants whose expertise will match the needs of their company. It is in their best interest to be as specific as possible about the job duties and the qualifications needed to properly fulfill those duties. Therefore, if you come across a listing that is so vague that you can't determine what you would be dong, it's probably not a legit opportunity.

Do Your Research

If you come across a job that looks appealing, do a little research before you get too far into the application process. Check out the company's website and look for their address and phone number. All companies regardless of the nature of work should have a verifiable business address and number. If you can't find a number where you can talk to a real person, don't pursue the opportunity. You can also check out the company with the Better Business Bureau to see if there are any current claims against them.

Avoid Red Flag Phrases

Work at home scams come in all shapes and sizes. However, there are a few phrases that should be a red flag to any serious job seeker. Beware of any telecommuting jobs that require you to "process orders." More often than not, these companies require you to pay a fee. The job consists of posting similar ads on the Internet to get other people to pay the fee. Also, stay away from enveloping stuffing opportunities. This scam is similar to the order processing scheme, where you are asked to pay a fee and then required to recruit others to do the same. 

Never Pay a Fee

Employers should pay you to work for them, not vice versa. No legitimate company will ever require you to pay a fee to work for them. Certain specialized job boards such as Elance will charge a fee to gain access to their job listings, but no employer should ever ask you for money. 

If it Sounds Too Good to Be True, It is

If you type in the words "work from home jobs" into any popular search engine, hundreds of websites will pop up.  Most of these websites claim that you can make $1,500 a day working part-time. Who wouldn't find the idea of making such a large chunk of cash in a short amount of time appealing?  However, it's important to remember that if it were really that easy to make a six-figure income, everyone would be doing it.  Real work-at-home jobs usually pay less than other jobs simply because there is such a high demand for telecommuting positions.

It is possible to find legitimate opportunities to earn income from the comfort of your own home. However, you have to remember to keep your expectations realistic.  Finding a job is a job in and of itself. You have to be willing to use a little elbow grease to find the perfect opportunity.