Is This a Scam?

Some things seem too good to be true. As we read our papers each day seeing the greed that is displayed in the business section, many of us become jaded and begin to think that nothing that seems good COULD be true.

It's not always the case. There have been many jobs that I have had where I have said to myself, "I cannot believe I am getting paid to do this. I am SO happy! This is so perfect!"

When I had my kids it felt too good to be true as well, and they are quite real, I assure you.

However, that is not to say there are not a ton of scams out there. Unfortunately, there are. Here are some ways to steer clear of them-

1- NEVER, EVER, EVER believe that you have to PAY to work. It is not logical! You get paid to work, not the other way around. Do not pay anyone for a job and do not even pay for the information. There are a million other people out there like me who post work at home jobs for free. The only exception is if you need to pay for a criminal background check. I did this with Live Ops, a call center I worked for, and I guarantee you the position was legitimate. Because I paid for it, they gave me a copy of it and I was able to use it for other jobs. If you are in doubt, go to a good work at home forum like wahm.com or whydowork.com and ask the community there about the position. Chances are someone will have already put it to the test. Googling does not always work. I have seen lots of google results stating that legitimate jobs that I have done first hand are scams. So there are some false claims out there on both sides.

2) If they do not tell you the name of the company, are vague about what the job entails, and/or send you an email stating you must "click this link" to apply for the position (again without revealing the name of their company), it is a scam. This happens often on craigslist. In fact, during the past couple of years I have seen less and less legitimate telecommuting jobs on craigslist, at least in my area.

3) If you are on the company's website, scroll to the bottom and check if they list their address and phone number. Most legitimate companies do because it is a requirement of businesses to do so. They should have a physical address, preferably a corporate headquarters, not just an email address.

4) Is real work involved? If you are going to get paid for doing next to nothing, it is probably not for real. Ask yourself, how are they making money and why do they need you? If it doesn't add up, you are not missing something, the job is just not on the up and up.

5) Some jobs are iffy- If you are filling out forms as someone other than yourself, reposting scammish craigslist ads, or clicking on ads to earn someone else money, be careful. If caught you'd be a world of trouble. So although the job is legitimate(ish) work, it can cost you a lot in the long run.

6) Data and Entry and Transcription- There are real jobs doing this. I have posted them in the past, but there are more fake ones out there than legitimate opportunities. Again, never pay to work! See if their site has a page for clients, not only for employees, and if there are testimonials from business owners who use them. Don't spend a ton of money on equipment if you are buying from the company that is claiming they will hire you and don't pay to take any tests to prove you know how to type. Again, double check with people who do a lot of work from home to see if they have heard of the company you are looking into.

Mostly, it comes down to common sense. And remember as long as you are not forking over money, then the only thing you have lost is a little time. The time wasted will only help you to avoid future scams and maybe you'll be able to warn others!

Note- If you are starting a business, even a Multi Level Marketing business, like Tupperware, Avon, Tastefully Simple, etc, you will be asked to spend your money. That's an investment and not paying to work. However, you should always ask yourself, does this company make money off of my sales, or do they make money off of the business owners buying their supplies? This is always something to consider when starting a home business.

Here is a site that has a good list of well known work at scams- scroll to the bottom for the list of the top ten.
http://www.scambusters.org/work-at-home.html

Coming Soon...Affiliate Marketing and How To Get Started as a Call Center Agent. Any other requests?