I used to write databases from home and it was ok, but as freelance it wasnt very secure.
The only advice I can really give you is NEVER use a company that asks for money up front - they are always a scam. A reputable company will never ask for money up front.
It really depends what you want to do, but there are fewer and fewer companies empolying people from home, so if you can go freelance thats the better option in my opinion, though the income isnt always regular.
What kind of thing did you have in mind?