Work-At-Home Scams & Rip-Offs
The Internet is like a big, thriving metropolis: lots of opportunities, but also lots of danger. I've prepared the guide below to keep you safe in the online world.
How to Become Invulnerable to Scams and Rip-offs
Run the other way if you encounter any of these situations:
You're asked for a little money before you're given access to a lot of money: This is the classic scam, and it can take many forms. You may be told that you need to pay bank fees, transfer fees, or even bribes. But think for a minute -- the other person is the one who knows whether or not the funds actually exist. Why don't they come up with the funds or borrow the necessary cash?
You're asked for a fee in order to get a job: The excuse is often that the "employer" wants to make sure you're trustworthy or sincere, or you need to pay for supplies. Well, you could just as well question the trustworthiness of your potential employer. Jobs are created because the employer stands to make money off of your labor -- they don't need to take money out of your pocket.
It sounds too good to be true: No one is going to hire you unless they know your qualifications. If you are offered a legitimate work-at-home job, you can expect the pay offer to be about the same as you would get working in an office. And no one is going to offer you vast sums of money unless you provide something -- either work or possessions -- which are equally or more valuable.
There are legitimate offers on the web. Project Payday is one of my favorites. You can sign up for free, and it lets you pick up extra money whenever you want to. The cofounder, Monika St. John,, makes it clear that you're not going to get rich with Project Payday, you'll just get spending cash. I appreciate her honesty. And, incidentally, her system really works.
Hall of Shame
Here are the Top Five Internet Scams:
Envelope Stuffing Scam: This has been around for far longer than the
internet. You are asked to stuff ads into envelopes, usually to
solicit more people to stuff ads into envelopes. You are charged
for supplies, and are very unlikely to make back your investment.
Consider this: machines are used to stuff envelopes for less than
one cent each -- why would anyone pay you more than this? They
wouldn't, and that's why "envelope stuffing" offers are obvious
scams.Working At Home Opportunity HOMEPAGE
Nigerian 419 Scam: This is also known as Advance Fee Fraud. You receive an e-mail informing you that you've won a lottery that you never entered, or that your help is needed to transfer an inheritance, cash in an abandoned bank account, or assist with a business venture. The amount promised is usually millions. If you show interest, you're asked for "transfer fees" of thousands of dollars. People have been bilked out of their life savings by this scam. Some travel to the scammer's county and are robbed at best; at worst, they are tortured and killed.. Never respond to one of these e-mail.
Working At Home Opportunity HOMEPAGE
Product Assembly or Craft Work: The most disturbing aspect of
this scam is that the victims are honest, hardworking people who
want to make a little extra money. The company asks them to buy
supplies or to put some money up to show their "sincerity." When
they submit their work, no matter how good it is, they are told
that it is "below standard" and they are never paid for it.
Working At Home Opportunity HOMEPAGE
Medical Billing Rip-Offs: There are of course legitimate medical billers.
But this is a complicated field, and requires keeping current on
complex regulations, diagnoses, medical procedure codes, and
electronic billing software. Self-employed billers also need be
expert marketers, finding the few doctors who are unhappy with
their current billers and who are willing to give a new one a try.
The companies promising careers in this field often give a very
unrealistic picture of the complexity of the work and they grossly
exaggerate the earning potential.
Working At Home Opportunity HOMEPAGE
Reshipping: This is one of the newest scams. Work-at-home
shippers are promised substantial amounts of money. All they have
to do is receive, repackage, and then mail merchandise to a foreign
address. What the shipper doesn't know is that the merchandise was
paid for with stolen credit cards. In effect, the work-at-home
shipper becomes part of a fencing operation by receiving and
mailing stolen goods.
