The Internet has become a dumping ground for computer-based, work from home business opportunities. Most of these programs promise unrealistic incomes because they are unrealistic ideas and ways of thinking. Many honest, hard-working people waste valuable time and money with these programs because many Internet business opportunities are just scams. In the end, people who have tried these Internet business opportunities feel cheated and scammed. So what is a person to do? Here are a few tips to consider:

1) Research. The best advice I can offer to a person interested in a home based business is to do research. Research can be as simple as joining a forum like the one here at ezinearticles.com, or by searching the Better Business Bureau online business opportunity directory. Basically, search the Web and see what others are saying about a particular opportunity.

2) Look for contact information. When perusing Internet business opportunities, look for contact information. If these business opportunities are worth a grain of salt, they will include any or all of the following: physical address, an email address, a phone number, hours of business, and a fax number. Don't trust a business opportunity where no one can be reached.

3) Be realistic. The chances that you will make tens of thousands of dollars a month is remote. I'm not saying you can't make a decent income, but the mega-payouts some Internet based business opportunities promise are simply fantasy. In my opinion, there is no such thing as "get rich quick" with many Internet based business opps. The only person getting super-wealthy is the person at the top.

4) Work. If you do decide to sign on with an Internet based business opportunity, realize that there is a fair amount of work that you must do to make the business work. It is a business after all. Many people think that with an Internet based business that everything will take care of itself. Things DO NOT take care of themselves in business--any business. You need to promote/advertise in order to get visitors to your website. Do you think this is going to happen on its own? Surprisingly, some people do, and they often fail.

5) Finances. While Internet advertising is comparatively inexpensive when compared to print ads (a 20 word print ad can cost 30 times more than a 200 word internet ad), 'Net advertising can still be expensive. Consider your finances and again, research. Look for free, low-cost, or pay-per-click advertising (you only pay when your advert is click on). Be judicious when spending your money to advertise.

I hope this article has helped you, and good luck