Starting an internet business can sound like a dream: work from home, set your own hours, be your own boss. But most internet business startups require significant investments of time and money, and many of them fail. If you’re considering buying an internet business opportunity, know that the promise of big earnings and ideal work conditions is a pipe dream for most. Regardless of the handful of stories you’ve read about college-age entrepreneurs turning into internet business gazillionaires, there’s no such thing as a sure thing. You may encounter pitches like “Start your own internet business;” “No experience required;” “Experts available to coach you” in a variety of places: on the Web and in e-mail offers, infomercials, classified ads, flyers, texts, telephone pitches, seminars, and direct-mail offers. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the nation’s consumer protection agency, says that many of these solicitations are scams that promise more than they can possibly deliver. Often, bogus internet business opportunity sales pitches are short on details and long on high-pressure tactics to persuade you to buy before you’ve investigated the offer.