Lindsey D. http://www.chargebacks911.com 3m 744
The views of this article are the perspective of the author and may not be reflective of Confessions of the Professions.
Every stay-at-home-mom, house-wife or domestic-diva has at one time or another searched out money making options. While the stay-at-home concept seems ideal, spending all day in your pajamas sipping coffee, reading novels and watching the Food Network, that’s really not how things go down.
Typically there are children to rear, diapers to change and pots and pans to clean up once they discover the little drawer under your stove.
Unfortunately, all the work that encompasses being a stay-at-home mom is unpaid. The salary most women in these positions collect often stems from corners they cut in the weekly or monthly budget; unless of course their husbands provide them with “mad money” too.
It makes perfect sense then that they would want to utilize their down time to bring in some sort of additional funds. However, there are a vast array of less than reputable, unsavory characters just waiting for those infamous keywords: work from home.
Scam Warning Signs
Now that 2014 has arrived it is certain that most everyone with internet or email access is familiar with the Nigerian royalty scams that abounded a few years back. However, there are still people that fall victim to these seemingly obvious scam attributes.
The number one scam trait revolves around monetary exchange prior to work achieved.
If a company asks you to invest in its product line before it will allow you to sell anything, that’s a huge indicator that something is awry.
In addition, if there’s a seemingly intense necessity to make an immediate decision about signing on with the agency that should send the warning lights into high gear.
Think in Terms of Offline Employment
Consider how you’d expect a brick-and-mortar, tangible business to address hiring techniques. Would they ask you to buy stock before they hired you? Would they demand that you give them an answer without allowing you to consider their offer? If not, then don’t allow an online entity to do that to you either.
Types of Scam Jobs
People have varying opinions on multi-level-marketing (MLM) positions, but in general, they are more scam than not. There are always exceptions to the rule, but when searching for a job to invest your miniscule kid-less time in, it’s better to err on the side of caution.
MLM’s are not the only problems in cyberspace. Some other things to steer clear of include: processing jobs (email and rebate-based) as well as mailing and gifting programs.
Basically, avoid any company that doesn’t have a clear internet presence. When you can’t locate their site, or ascertain what exactly they produce, sell or provide a service for, then chances are they’re shady.
How to Avoid the Scams
The best option is to do your research. Check with the Better Business Bureau. See what they think of your new potential employer.
You can also check with sites like Ripoff Report. They keep track of both past and present scam techniques.
eConsumerServices is another agency that can help you sort out online scams. If you suspect someone is trying to take advantage of you, eConsumerServices can help protect you from those online scams.
Another key to staying away from the exorbitant amount of fallacious corporations posing as legit on the World Wide Web, is to only look for jobs that fit your skill set.
If you’re a transcriptionist, look for a job that seeks out hugely skilled typists. However, if you’re the hunt and peck type, you should be alarmed when a company still offers you the job! Some scammers will accept anyone for the sake of garnering personal information, specifically access to your cash. Don’t apply for jobs that you don’t qualify for.
Recognizing Work from Home Scams
The internet is replete with people trying to rip you off. Some will try to sell you things that are worthless, while others will convince you to sell worthless things to your friends and acquaintances. It is always best to use common sense when dealing with people who promise you the moon if you’ll help them finance it.
Have you been a victim of an internet work from home scam? If so, what advice can you offer our readers? Feel free to share in our comments section!
About the Author
Lindsey D. works for eConsumerServices. Online scams, fraud protection and credit card scams are just a few of the things she helps educate consumers about.
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