You’ve probably seen the ads on the internet or posted around your town – “Make easy cash working from home, no experience needed.” While it sounds appealing, it’s probably a scam. Most of these “opportunities” are, and they are designed to liberate you from your money. While there are many legitimate work-from-home opportunities, it’s important to look at every opportunity with a degree of skepticism.
First and foremost, any job or opportunity that requires a payment or the purchase of materials should be avoided.
Second, any opportunity to “get rich quick” is a scam.
Third, if the business doesn’t have a physical location, valid contact information or a social media presence, walk away.
Fourth, do a Google search for reviews of the business. If the word “scam” pops up, it most likely is a scam.
Some work-from-home jobs are legitimate. Just be sure to do your due diligence when considering any of the following:
Product reseller
Mystery shopping
Home assembly / envelope stuffing
Data entry / call center
Taking online surveys
And, it’s best to avoid any of the following:
Pyramid schemes
Check cashing or wiring money
Link posting jobs
Processing claims
If you are considering work-from-home opportunities, limit your search to legitimate job search channels, such as job search engines that provide access to a company’s website so you can learn more about the business and the position. Freelance job sites such as UpWork, Working Solutions and FlexJobs offer fully vetted work-at-home job opportunities.