The Best Way to Avoid a Work-At-Home Job Scam

by Leslie Truex

Each year, millions of people fall victim to work-at-home job scams. This happens despite all the great information in books and online on how to identify legitimate work-at-home programs and avoid scams.

One reason that people still get caught up in scams is because they look for the wrong kind of work in the wrong place. As a result, they are exposed to more scams and don't ever find the real jobs.

Here is how to avoid looking for the wrong work in the wrong places:

1. Don't expect to just sign-up for a job. You can't just sign up for a job in the traditional job world, even at McDonalds. And, you can't just sign up for a job in the telecommuting world. Any job ad you come across that gives you the impression that you can just sign up and be employed should be questioned.

2. Don't expect to get paid licking envelopes, gluing earrings, reading email, surfing the net, or "placing ads". This is where most people get in trouble. They search for work in areas that are almost always scams.

3. Don't expect to sign-up and type or do data entry. This is another area people get into trouble. There are legitimate clerical jobs BUT they almost always require passing typing tests for speed, accuracy, and grammar and punctuation.

4. Don't expect a $25 (or any amount) processing fee will get you a job. Any company charging a fee to hire you is not offering a job. These "jobs" will tell you the fee is to process your application, support the cost of the website hosting, or to add you to payroll. DON'T FALL FOR IT! You wouldn't buy it in the traditional work world so you shouldn't fall for it in the telecommuting world.

5. Don't fall for 'no experience necessary'. Employers are looking to hire people who can do a specific job. While there are some jobs don't require experience, they do require skills such as a pleasant speaking voice, writing talent, or some other skill that can be measured to insure you have what it takes to do the job. In the traditional work world, you need to show you have what it takes to do the job. You will need to provide the same proof in the telecommuting world.

6. Don't expect to find jobs through search engines. If you are looking for a legitimate job, you need to look where jobs are posted. Employers post jobs on their websites and on employment websites. There are many free and fee-based job sites that offer legitimate work-at-home jobs. It is okay to pay to access a job database as long as it offers real jobs (see number 2). Scammers are known to post their schemes on job sites but if you follow the rules above, you won't get caught up in them.

Working at home is WORK. Any ad that tells you anything different is trying to sell you something or steal your money. Don't fall for it. To avoid a work-at-home job scam, you need to know what jobs you are qualified to do and conduct your job search in the same professional manner you would a traditional job search. By searching for 'real' jobs in the places that employers post jobs, you will not only have better success at finding legitimate work, but also you will decrease the number of scams you are exposed to.

Leslie Truex is a stay and work-at-home mom who has telecommuted in a variety of jobs since 1990. She is the author of Jobs At Home: A Complete Guide to Finding or Creating a Work-At-Home Job which provides specific details and hundreds of job resources to help you find a legitimate work-at-home job. Work At Home Success