They're out there. Millions and millions of them. They surround you in an orchestrated dance, salivating at the prospect of a juicy meal, a hapless soul wandering in their midst. No warning, no sympathy, no chance. They fix their gaze on you like a hypnotist; you are soon under their spell. Now the only question is, which one of them will have their way with you? Just like a lost hiker who happens upon a lion's den, all you did was innocently Google "make money online." Searching for money-making opportunities shouldn't feel like being lost in a jungle filled with wild, starving animals ready to rip you apart. However, everyday well-meaning individuals allow themselves to fall into the trap of believing they will make $2,500 a day in their underwear while watching Jerry Springer. While this is possible, it certainly isn't going to happen with little effort as most of these online scams would have you believe. The key to choosing a real online business opportunity is first recognizing the scams that are just screaming at you. "Make $300+ Daily Processing Rebates!" This particular advertisement is probably one of the most insidious "business offers" going around the web today. This simply implies that you will work for a company that will pay you hundreds of dollars to process rebates. Cool! You'll take that, right? After paying $200 for this work-at-home gem, you quickly realize that it's not what you expected. First, you're told to promote a product, such as an ebook, that costs $30 with a 50% commission. You'll offer a rebate on the book for $5. So, when the book is sold, you'll earn $15. You pay the customer the $5 rebate and you take home $10. To promote this product, you have to open advertising accounts with Google or Yahoo; and if you do not have specialized knowledge on how to maneuver within this space, you will lose hundreds to thousands of dollars trying to promote this product that generates only a $10 return. As the old adage goes, if anything sounds too good to be true, then it probably is; but we allow ourselves to believe maybe this is the one. And why do we believe that we will be paid $100s of dollars an hour to take surveys when this makes no logical sense? Or better yet, why would anyone pay us to shop? The marketers of these programs aren't stupid. In fact many of them are very intelligent and understand the human psyche as well as any gray-haired Harvard professor. They prey on your vulnerabilities and emotions with the promise of quick cash for doing practically nothing. Intuitively we know these are scams, but the human mind is imaginative and believes what it wants depending on the moment. If people searching for online opportunities recognize this truism of themselves and take the time to research common scams, then half the battle is won. Okay, so the other half of the battle is upon us. We're focused now, like Rome's Maximus ready to throw-down against the Germanic barbarians. In this case, the barbarians are the still salivating, scamming marketers looking to make a final play for your wallet. The best way to defeat them is to have a plan and be decisive with that plan. Know exactly what you are looking for. If you think "make money online" means hooking up with a brick-and-mortar that pays you to work at home, then find that particular type of work. Just make sure that it is a real company with a real address and a real phone number; and it doesn't require you to pay anything up front. If you are unsure, then call the company. If the person on the other end sounds unprofessional or annoyed that you called, then that should raise a red flag that, at best, you may be dealing with a mediocre operation. A professional organization will have people who will welcome your call and answer any questions you may have. Usually making money online involves managing several websites, having an online store of some kind or affiliate marketing. All of these require long-term skills and techniques that may take some time to learn but are necessary if you're going to succeed in this unapologetic environment. You should be looking for a comprehensive program, offering a money-back guarantee, that's going to teach fundamental skills and provide specialized knowledge that will serve you for a lifetime. There are legitimate ways to make money online, but without the specialized knowledge of running an affiliate program, choosing and exploiting niche markets, SEO tactics, pay-per-click techniques or various methods of generating traffic to a website, you will be doomed for failure. Make sure the opportunity you choose doesn't just surface these topics while avoiding the depth analysis and real-world illustrations that most people require to learn. While recognizing scams is half the battle to this internet business game, the other half is knowing what to look for in a quality program. Realize that you're going up against seasoned veterans and multi-billion dollar corporations. You wouldn't apply for an Accountant's position without having learned Accounting in college or in a vocational program, would you? The same holds true for working an online business. Don't take it lightly because it's online, "cool" and carefree. It's business. And like any other business of making money, the stakes are high and you need specialized knowledge to succeed. The internet business game plays on a huge field; big enough for you to get swallowed up or big enough for you to get your slice of the pie. Cheers!