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Work at Home Job Scams

Work at home job scams are always a great concern when searching for online employment. Sometimes it can be hard to determine between the legitimate work at home jobs, and the work at home job scams. Remember you should never have to pay for a job, and research all opportunities you are thinking about exploring. Real work at home jobs are out there, and I am sure you will find yours.

Common Work From Home Scams

Working from home is the dream of millions of people. Before you quit your regular job, there are many common work from home job scams that you need to be aware of. Among the most frequently advertised are envelope stuffing, getting paid to read emails or take surveys, craft or assembly work, home typists, chain letters, and medical billing. Scams such these and others are normally disguised as business opportunities and franchises. The latest trend in work from home scams is Internet business/marketing opportunities that have been properly named by the FTC as "Dot Cons". The numerous scams have a much broader range than the few discussed here, but the bottom line is the same. A rip-off by any other name is still a rip-off, and your finances will suffer.

A good question to consider is if work from home opportunities are so rewarding, then why has someone bothered to try to sell the program to you rather than do the work themselves? If you started a highly lucrative business, would you spend all your time letting everyone else in on the secret, or would you simply sell your product yourself and watch the profits roll in? The only people making money from these types of job offers are the ones who originated the scam. If you have to pay a fee, purchase information, or the company in question only communicates with you through email or phone calls then you would be wise to move on in your search for legitimate work from home job opportunities.

Do not be fooled by testimonials, "documented proof", guarantees, media credentials, stock market listings, expert recommendations, intricate logos, or financial statements.


Here are a few clues that should alert you to a probable scam:

The very first clue that a given advertisement may be a scam is the simple fact that it is advertised, whether on TV, the Internet, or in various publications. Most of these ads contain proclamations of legitimacy, which is another indication that the offer is most likely a scam.

Your second clue will be a large amount of punctuation scattered throughout the ad. $ Symbols, all uppercase lettering, and numerous exclamation points should be a real warning to all job seekers. If it looks too good to be true - you know the rest.

Clue number three is exaggeration. Scammers routinely bait potential victims with ridiculous claims of earning over $10,000 per month for doing very little or absolutely nothing. There is no job that pays you large amounts of money for doing nothing. It's a scam.

Ambiguity is the fourth clue. Any employer will immediately inform you of the details of the job and the work that is included. Why would you have to send in your enrollment fee or purchase information about a potential job? The most likely answer is that the job is a scam.


The fifth and most obvious clue is that a real employer does not ask you to pay before they will hire you. That's how scams make money for those who operate them. You send in your money and in return you get a promise of a great job - one that does not exist.

>> Avoiding Work at Home Scams

Additional Info
Medical Billing Scams

Stuffing Envelope Scams

Federal Resources:
www.ftc.gov/bizopps

www.bbb.com

www.lookstoogoodtobetrue.com