5 Tell-Tale Signs a Work-at-Home Job is a Scam

When researching to find a work-at-home job, you may be discouraged to discover that many online offers are scams. Scams come in all sorts of disguises, from promises to make hundreds of dollars a day creating ads, to simple part-time job scams. You should be knowledgeable about telltale signs of these false job opportunities to protect yourself from losing your savings, or even your identity.

Sign #1: You Must Join for a Fee

Many online "companies" offer you business if you pay them a fee to get you that business. These are almost always, if not always, scams. No company who is genuinely wanting to pay you money will require you to pay them a monthly, or even a one time fee. If they want part of your money from recruiting you, they can take it out of your first paycheck (after informing you that they will do that), but you should never pay to join a company.

There are some companies that require you to purchase materials before working. If that is the case (with a company to whom you have applied), make sure you know what the materials are, and research the company to guarantee they are a valid business (before spending a dime on them).

Sign #2: Only an Email Address is Required

On websites where companies can post job openings for free, there is a chance that you will come across scams. Sometimes job descriptions are very vague, such as "part time receptionist needed", and only an email address is used for the contact information. Though some of these are valid, many of them are scams and will solicit your email addresses to send you unwanted spam mail. You will have also wasted your time writing an email cover letter.

Sign #3: A Job Description is Vague

Many Internet sites promise you that you can make lots of money if you will sign up with them, but do not give you any details on what your job will entail. These are written to appeal to many people so that they can scam more people. Even with all sorts of "employee satisfaction" quotes attached to these pages, it is a good idea to look elsewhere for your job.

Sign #4: They Claim Great Wealth in No Time

If a site promises you that you can make hundreds of dollars a day, or even a week, by only working a couple hours a day, it is most likely a scam. Very few people can ever make that much money unless they are a high executive or have special medical or highly specialized knowledge.

Sign #5: You Only Get Paid by Direct Deposit

If a company refuses to pay you by any other means than direct deposit, they may be scamming to get enough information from you to take your savings. In most states, employers are required by law to give the option of a business check, unless you are working for the Government.

Trying to find an job can be rough, and unfortunately it is made tougher by scammers. However, by weeding out the scams and focusing on the real job opportunities, you can make the job search part of your life a lot easier.