It sounds perfect, doesn't it? A job you can do from the comfort of your own home. If you are a parent with child-care commitments or if you are elderly or disabled and need to supplement your social security, what could be better? Or if you just want to get out of the rat race, quit commuting and work when you feel like it.

You may be looking for work-at-home ideas on the Internet - there are so many to choose from! Or perhaps you have seen an ad in the local newspaper or received an offer in the mail.

There are genuine opportunities out there and many people have benefited from them. But if you are tempted, remember there are several things to look out for to avoid getting burned.

First and foremost, remember the old adage - if it SOUNDS too good to be true, it almost certainly IS. If the company promises that you can get rich quickly, ask yourself if that is really likely. If that were really the case, they would be swamped with takers! Would they really need to be mailing you or paying to advertise?

Second, beware of ads or companies that ask for money up front before they will take you on. When did you hear of a genuine job where prospective employees had to pay to be hired?

Third, beware of schemes that promise a "miracle" product to sell that you have to purchase from them first. If it doesn't live up to its promises you are stuck with it and could even be prosecuted for fraud if you sold it to others.

What work-at home schemes might you come across? One of the most common is envelope stuffing. It sounds so easy, doesn't it? Put things in envelopes and get paid for it. But you are likely to find that, having paid up front, instead of receiving materials, you get instructions to place an ad like the one you saw and hope that people will pay you in the same way. This is an illegal pyramid scheme because there is no genuine product or service being offered.

Another is home assembly. You will be asked to pay for materials that you have to assemble into a finished product at home. You may well find that it is very difficult, without clear instructions or even with some parts missing. When you send in your finished product it is likely that you will be told it is "unsatisfactory" and never get paid.

Third, there is medical billing. The promotion tells you that doctors want to outsource their billing service to save money. They promise that no experience is required and that they will provide clients eager for your services. You have to invest thousands of dollars but then find that in reality you cannot find clients and can't even recoup your investment, let alone earn a substantial income.

To avoid being scammed, remember the following:

Avoid schemes that require payment up front or payment for materials before you even know what the work involves.

* Beware of schemes in which home-workers have to invest in equipment or raw materials and then sell the finished product.

* Be careful of ads or promotions that give no details, such as the name or address of the company, a clear description of the work, whether you will be employed or self-employed or details of any costs.

If you have already paid money to a scheme that is not delivering, you should:

* Complain in writing to the company, stating that you will take legal action if your money is not repaid.

* Copy this letter to your local Better Business Bureau and your state's attorney general. Keep a record of all letters and phone calls and retain all your paperwork.

There are many genuine opportunities out there. Make sure you join a plan not a scam.