How To Spot A Work At Home Scam
ith all the work at home opportunities with telecommute
opportunities advertised positions. Very often they are
today, it can be advertised only as "work at home"
difficult to pick out the true -- not telling you whether it's a
jobs from the scams. Here are job or a business opportunity. If
some tips that will help you there is a start-up kit you need
determine whether a job is to buy, it is a business
legitimate or a scam in just opportunity. If there is a "fee"
minutes. to begin working for them (often
called an application fee, or
Do they charge a fee? - If so, it administrative fee), it is a
is a scam. A legitimate company scam.
will not charge you to work for
them. Period. Occasionally, you Is the website sloppy? - This
will come across companies that alone doesn't always point to a
charge for training, but most scam. I've seen some legitimate
often they will deduct the cost companies with horrible websites
from your first few paychecks. too. However, scammer websites
This is rare, however. Most are usually very sloppily put
companies will provide free together, with tons of spelling
training. There are also a few and grammatical errors all over
companies that will charge for the place. Not always - sometimes
the cost of having a background they do have web design knowledge
check performed on you. Again, and a spell-checker. Also, are
this is pretty rare. Home they using a free web host like
business opportunities will often Geocities or Bravenet? (Example:
charge a start-up fee, which If the domain name reads includes a kit containing product href="http://XYZClerical.bravehos
samples, training information and t.com"
more. Don't confuse these title="http://XYZClerical.braveho
st.com" from a free email provider like
target="_blank">http://XYZClerica Yahoo or Hotmail? This doesn't
l.bravehost.com or href="http://www.geocities.com/XY sometimes companies don't want to
ZClerical" use their main address and get
title="http://www.geocities.com/X bombarded with resumes. Still,
YZClerical" use caution if you see a free
target="_blank">http://www.geocit email account being used,
ies.com/XYZClerical - they especially if it's the only form
are using a free web host. Owning of contact available. If a phone
their own domain, it would read number is given, call it. Do they
like this: href="http://www.XYZClerical.com" a real business? Or do you get
title="http://www.XYZClerical.com dumped right into a voicemail
" box? Again, that might not mean
target="_blank">http://www.XYZCle it's a scam by itself, just
rical.com) Website hosting is something to consider.
so affordable nowadays, it is
rare to find any legitimate Testimonials - Does the website
companies that would use a free feature testimonials? These are
web host. usually glowing reviews from
people who are allegedly working
Contact information - Click on at home for this company. Why
the "Contact Us" (or "About Us") would a company want to do this?
page of the website. Is there a Remember this: testimonials are
street address and telephone most often used in sales copy.
number? Or just an email address They are trying to "sell" you
or P.O. Box? Legitimate companies something if they use
will give you their true contact testimonials. Legitimate
information. Is the email address companies will rarely use them. I
have seen a couple of real envelopes when they could buy a
companies with testimonials on machine to do it for far less
their websites, so it does money? Use common sense. Compare
happen, but not often. the job to the income. Does it
sound near what you'd earn in
Excessive income claims - "Easy your local area? (Most work at
work, great pay!" That's a big home jobs pay LESS than what
red flag. No legitimate employer you'd earn outside the home, not
is going to flaunt easy work for more.)
great pay. Instead they usually
say, "Salary commensurate with Targeting particular groups -
experience." Meaning, if you have Does the ad focus on one
experience in that field, you particular group of people like
will probably earn more money Moms, retirees or college
than someone who doesn't. If an students? This is usually a
ad claims, "No experience warning sign. Why would a
necessary!" - be wary. There are legitimate employer care if their
certainly employers who will employees are moms, dads,
train you and don't require grandparents or anything else?
experience, but if an ad is The only exception I can think of
flaunting the fact that you don't is perhaps contracts for models
need experience and will earn and actors. Obviously sometimes
great money, watch out. agencies have a need for people
Especially for jobs you would with a certain look, or from a
expect to need experience for, certain age group. Otherwise,
like typing or data entry. If the beware of any company advertising
job is extremely simple (like only to Moms or other groups.
stuffing envelopes), ask yourself
why a company would pay so much Involving your personal accounts
money for someone to stuff - This is a biggie. There is a
common scam going around right Union or other money transfer
now that involves an overseas system. Unfortunately, the check
company wanting you to sell takes a few days or even a few
products on eBay using your own weeks to bounce, and you now owe
account, and accept payments from that money back to the bank.
the buyers. You then subtract Except you don't have it, because
your "commission" and forward the you already wired it out to the
rest of the money onto the person who sent you the check!
company and they ship the product Steer clear of any type of "job"
out to the customer. Wrong. What that requires you to use your own
actually happens is the company accounts.
takes the money and never ships
the products, and you are now in Asking for too much information -
big trouble with eBay for taking Does the application ask personal
the money and not delivering the information like your marital
product. It is incredibly easy status, how many children you
for legitimate companies to get a have, your age, ethnic
merchant account nowadays, there background, etc? Employers have
is no reason why they would need no business asking these
you to use your own account and questions. It is illegal for them
forward the money to them. Don't to base your eligibility on these
fall for it. Another similar scam factors, and you are not required
is a company (or individual) to give this information. Also do
needing to send a large amount of not give your credit card number,
money by check to you, they ask social security number or banking
you to deposit the money into information to any company unless
your account and then withdraw you know they are legitimate. The
most of it (you get to keep a company will only need this
portion of it for your troubles) information if they are actually
and send it to them by Western hiring you. I recommend leaving
that blank when applying for title="http://www.company.com"
jobs. If you get hired, they target="_blank">http://www.compan
should furnish you with a real y.com). Who comes up as the
tax form to fill out, where you Registrant? The company name, or
will supply your social security an individual? It is possible
number. (Don't just send it that the website domain could be
through email to them.) For registered under the owner's
banking information, they only personal name instead of the
need that if you are signing up company name, so this alone
for direct deposit, and they doesn't mean they are a scam. Is
should give you an actual direct it a private registration (you
deposit form to fill out and fax can't get the details)? Again,
or mail back. They should not that alone doesn't mean it's a
need your credit card number for scam necessarily. Finally, look
any reason. If they are paying at the date the domain was
you through Paypal or another registered. If the website gives
online payment system, you can details about how long the
provide your Paypal email address company has been in business and
to them, but do NOT give them the the domain registration differs
password! (Yes, I've actually greatly from that, be wary. If
seen a "company" requesting that they claim they've been providing
of applicants before.) work at home jobs for 10 years,
but upon looking up the domain
Whois Search - Go to href="http://www.whois.com" for a couple of months, that's a
title="http://www.whois.com" red flag.
target="_blank">http://www.whois.
com and search for the domain Do some research - Write down the
name (href="http://www.company.com" domain is registered under (if
applicable). Go to - and href="http://www.google.com" href="http://www.ScamBusters.org"
title="http://www.google.com" title="http://www.ScamBusters.org
target="_blank">http://www.google "
.com and type the company target="_blank">http://www.ScamBu
name in quotations, plus the word sters.org and search for the
Scam, like this: "Company company and individual's name.
Name"+scam - see what comes up.
Any negative experiences detailed Ask around - If you still haven't
on message forums? Do the same found any negative information
with the individual's name that (or any information at all), ask
the domain is registered under. around. Visit work at home
(Also try replacing the word message forums and ask about the
"scam" with the words, "scheme" company. Use the forum search
or "fraud.") You can also search function to search for the
for pages that mention the company name and individual's
company domain name, like this: name. If it's a scam, surely
"www.companywebsite.com" - Google someone has heard about them.
will return results on any page
that mentions that term. Then go Finally, compare any work at home
to href="http://www.BBBOnline.com" in your local area. Does the
title="http://www.BBBOnline.com" online job seem like something
target="_blank">http://www.BBBOnl you'd do in an office setting?
ine.com - href="http://www.RipoffReport.com experience needed? Does the pay
" match the complexity of the job?
title="http://www.RipoffReport.co Could a company automate the job
m" functions rather than paying you
target="_blank">http://www.Ripoff thousands of dollars to do it?
Remember that most companies are hear so many people say, "I had a
trying to save money, not make bad feeling about it, but I
their employees rich. wanted it to be true, so I took a
chance." Don't do it. If you have
Most importantly, listen to your ANY doubts or concerns, pay
gut. If something seems too good attention to them. You'll save
to be true, it probably is. I yourself a lot of grief later on.
About the Author:
Wendy Betterini is a freelance writer, web designer and owner of http://www.CreativeWorkAtHome.com, a resource center for home business owners and telecommuters. Visit today for information on how to make your work at home experience successful.
Source: www.isnare.com
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