In future, you’d do well to invoke Colophon’s First Approximation:
"If you saw it on the internet, it’s a scam."
(There are more refined iterations of my theory, but for most purposes the First Approximation is sufficient.)
Of course. But much like legitimate are reasonably lucrative work away from home jobs, they require actual skills an employer is willing to pay for, and then you must use those skills to produce something useful to the employer.
I think your real question is, are there any legitimate and reasonably lucrative jobs that anyone can get and don’t take any time to actually do? The answer is no.
But there are jobs that people do that involve nothing more than sitting in front of a computer each day, aren’t there? Why do these people even need to go into an office?
Not all of them do. There are telecommute jobs out there, and many independent contractors work from home, especially in IT related fields.
But for the most part, you are wrong when you think that their job requires “nothing more”. Most jobs have aspects that require face to face interaction, or at least the employer thinks so.
I know, and apologise to those working in an office for suggesting it might be otherwise.
*Earn $$$$$$ in your spare time selling grit!
Amaze your friends with Super X-Ray Vision Specs!
Command others to do your bidding with HypnoCoin!*
It’s the age-old pitch. (I’m still pissed at those X-Ray Specs people, I had plans for those things!)
Quasi, if it makes you feel better, I fell for one of these things myself back when I was younger and greedier. I sent $30 to Don Lapre to get his booklets about how to make money “from your tiny one-bedroom apartment”. Mostly, they were “common-sense” tips that anyone with half a brain could have figured out themselves, but there was also his personal business model…placing “tiny classified ads”…for the very booklets I had just spent $30 for!
Luckily, I’m capable of knowing when I’ve just been mugged, even voluntarily.
… when I was in radio, I wrote a little pamphlet on how to be a “stringer” for a newspaper. I bought ads in Popular Mechanics and another one in a similar magazine (Popular Science?).
Printed them myself on a word processor and was going to sell them for 3.00 ea. + 1.50 S&H.
Didn’t sell a one.
Gave one to my Dad because I had dedicated it to him, with the words,
“For my Dad, who always taught me that hard work is its own reward.”
Had a picture of myself on the back page with my journalism credentials and the fact that I was working on my first novel (Which I still am BTW:D).
What a crock, huh?
Well, my Dad was proud of me, anyway.
And plus: That information is still good today. Especially with the bigger city newspapers. The smaller ones only print ads and social stuff. Not much “hard news” until it’s election time.
And until then you can catch all the “good” stuff in the back where the court docket news is.
Now see there? I just gave y’all a “wealth” of information on the internet, and it didn’t cost you a thing!
Thanks
Bill
PS: Thanks for making me feel better, jay and cat!
I could, but it’s probably another one of those things where you have to pay a fee and hope someone uses your service.
Also, I think you may even need an “agent” or “broker” to represent you - again for a percentage.
I had one of those proof-reading books once, but never did anything with it…
Q
HEY! Pizza delivery, y’all!!! 
What’s a “stringer”?
Mrs. Dvl and I work from home — I believe there are several Dopers who do. We both work full time, and haven’t had to physically meet with a client for about two years now. We provide design, editorial, and communications consulting, mostly to non-profits. It’s not a get-rich-quick scheme, of course — it’s a real job.
Can you program? Code? Write? I use RentaCoder.com from time to time to outsource technical projects that are beyond me, and I know there are similar sites out there that match writers with projects (I haven’t used any of them). These do have the service provider paying a fee, but it’s somewhat reverse E-bay; the fee you pay to the service is based on a percentage of the overall project fee.
I wanted to check back in and report what is happening to me as the result of falling for this: When I first talked to y’all about it, I took another look and called the number I was given and told them I wanted to cancel, because I suspected this was a scam.
They agreed to cancel and refund me what I though was a dollar. They even sent me an e-mail with a cancellation authorixzation number.
Monday I checked my account online, and found my account had been debited 78.34 to a company called My Internet Payday dba Fresh Keyword Ideas.
I immediately called my bank and told them of this and forwarded the e-mail to them and I have not yet heard back, but told them I wanted to file a “Reg E-Claim” and get these charges added back into my account.
Here’s what I found out online about this: The Google Biz Kit Scams and Mary Steadman
It’s not over: This morning I checked my account again and found two more charges: One pending and one for 38.34 to a company called A1 Leasing. I again wrote to my bank and told them to please cancel my card and issue a new one, as my account is running dry and my disability has not started yet.
Here’s a link to this scam:
I don’t know how all of this will play out, but I wish I had never gotten involved with these people. I just needed to try to get busy doing something beneficial.
Rhythmdvl, please excuse me for not answering sooner, but no, I don’t code. I have also not felt like being in front of a computer since I found all of this out.
I am trying my best to remain positive, but if they’re going to bleed my account like this, I’ll have to move out of my apartment.
This is really scary for someone living alone dealing with depression and the Alzheimer’s related dementia.
Please, please, please don’t ever fall for this , Kids!
Love
Bill
The “pending” charge is for 39.00. Forgot to add that, sorry.
Bill
The bank should be able to freeze your account, shouldn’t they?
I think so. They wrote me back and said they had “no contact information” on these people…
Here is the e-mail I got from them:
Our records indicate you recently contacted FreshKeywordIdeas.com Support. We are sorry to hear you wish to cancel your membership to FreshKeywordIdeas.com.
Per your request, we have canceled your automatic payments as of Tuesday, April 14th 2009 and no further action is required on your behalf. Your cancellation number is: 041409-3411034.
By canceling your membership, you no longer have access to the benefits offered through FreshKeywordIdeas.com.
If this has been done in error and you with to reactivate your membership, simply contact customer support using the information below. Please let us know if you need further assistance.
Thank you for the opportunity,
Fresh Keyword Ideas Customer Support
Phone: 877.208.6571
Quasi since your real goal is to keep your mind sharp and help out the Alzheimer cause, why don’t you check out their volunteer opportunities to see if there’s some service you could provide them that fits with your skills and time. Maybe you could blog about your experiences, make yourself available to local media for interviews, write op-ed pieces for newspapers, etc.
True, there’s no money in it, but you’ll have the satisfaction of knowing that you’re putting your talents and experiences to good use.
He does blog about his experiences – see his blog address in post #32. Volunteering is a good idea, as is press.
Yeah, Sigmagirl. It’s that blog that keeps me sane, and I am an Advocate for the Alzheimer’s Asociation which means I send e-mails to congress-persons.
Since I am no longer working, I just wanted to do something to pass the time and help my causes. I just didn’t want to also be homeless in the process ;).
Thanks for caring kunilou. It’s nice to hear from you.
Bill
Sure. Stephen King works at home.
Chuck, I swear you crack me up! Just what I needed.
Thanks, Buddy!
Q