According to lifestyle entrepreneur Heather Moore, like many who make any resolutions, people who are eager to start a home business are often filled with hope.

"Unfortunately, that can make them easy prey for con artists. The lure of easy money can serve as a difficult lesson for those who fall for it," she said.
Moore teaches other women to have success in their businesses on their own terms. She worked in the cubicle world of corporate America for more than 10 years. Although she enjoyed her work very much, she was looking for something new, exciting and challenging and created www.women-in-biz.com.

Many scams are cleverly packaged, making it hard to determine the legitimate work opportunities from the fraudulent ones. Common cons include Nigerian letter schemes asking for money, pyramid schemes, and "work at home" offers that involve stuffing envelopes or assembling crafts.

Moore offers some tips to find a legitimate business

* Trust your gut. If a business sounds too good to be true, more than likely it is.

* Go with recommendations from a trusted source. Moore's Web site - www.women-in-biz.com - offers some proven business opportunities that have been carefully screened.

* Check the Better Business Bureau.

* Be wary of large start-up costs. If someone is trying to convince you to go into business with them or to start your own home business and they want you to hand over a small fortune, walk away.

* Don't be afraid to ask questions. Never start any business without asking tons of questions first. If the business itself or salesperson cannot adequately and satisfactorily answer your questions, move on.

* Trust national brands. If you want to start a business with a company that has a trusted national brand, thousands of representatives and years of service under their belt, you're less likely to run into a scam.