The Medical Billing Business Opportunity Scam

A Home Business Article Contributed by Cassandra l. Keller

The Medical Billing Business Opportunity Scam

With today's technologies, more and more people are seeking ways to make big bucks by investing their time and money into a work-at-home business opportunity.

One common home-based business opportunity to consider is in medical billing.

Medical billing is often advertised as an at-home venture where you can yield $20, 000 to $45, 000 a year by working on you computer. According to the Federal Trade Commission, however, that is not always the case.

The down Low on Medical Billing Business Opportunity

In recent years, the FTC has pressed charges against promoters in the medical billing industry for not providing pre-investment information to investors as required by law. The agency has also charged promoters of the opportunity with failing to correctly represent the earnings potential of investors.

How a Medical Billing Business Opportunity Scam Works

You can find advertisements for the medical billing business opportunities on the Internet and in local newspapers/shopper guides. Because these ads often appear in the career sections around job postings, making them appear to be a job and not a business opportunity. Appearing in the classifieds also makes them seem legitimate, but don't count on the publisher to verify each ad before printing them. This responsibility is left to the consumer.

The tell-tale sign of a hokey business opportunity are ads that say you will make a substantial income from your home computer without any required experience. Then a toll-free telephone number is provided for more information.

Generally, the person on the other end of the toll-free number is trained to encourage you into the business with a sales pitch. The pitch usually reinforces the ad's claim that you will make a lot of money from home and without experience because doctors are in desperate need of someone to process the claims.

- even without any experience - can do this work from the comfort of your home.

Then, the operator explains that you must pay a fee to get started. This usually between $300 and $500. With the fee, the operator alleges you will receive all the information you need to start your business. This usually includes a list of possible clients and software for your computer.

Sadly, few of the entrepreneurs who embark on such ventures find clients for their business opportunity or make money.

What to do If You Get Taken with a Medical Billing Business Opportunity

If you take part in a medical billing business opportunity and it turns out to be a scam, there are some steps you can take to hopefully resolve the problem.

First, contact the company and request your money be returned. If they do not grant your request, notify them that you are planning to contact the proper authorities and follow through with your promise.

Some authorities to contact are the FTC at www.ftc.gov or by calling (877) FTC-HELP; the Attorney General's office in your state; the Better Business Bureau at www.bbb.Bureau; your local consumer protection offices; and the advertising director of the publication you found the ad.

Also, during the complaint process, keep track of your conversations and correspondence.