How to Sniff Out a Work from Home Scam

We’ve all seen the pop-up ads.

Work from Home. Earn $5,000 or more for less than 2 hours of work a week. I did it, so you can you!

or some variation on that theme.

It sounds too good to be true, so you wisely stay away. But that pop up is far from the only work at home scam. In fact, the Internet, Craigslist and even the newspaper classifieds are rife with scams for people seeking work at home opportunities.

If you’re looking for a work from home job, it’s critical that you have the savvy skills to avoid getting taken by a work from home scam.

Here are three signs that should set off warning bells for you:

(1) The ad doesn’t give complete information

If you start reading an ad for a work from home job and there is no contact information, no salary information, or not even a job description, look very carefully before you eagerly send off your resume. Many scams are phishing schemes designed to get you to give them your email address and other personal information.

* Tip: One way to protect your primary email address even if you have been scammed is to set up a separate email account and use it only for job applications.

(2) The ad makes grandiose claims of salary potential

Does earning six figures with no degree or experience sound very likely to you? Sure, it can and does happen, but from an ad you see on the Internet? Be especially suspicious of an ad that promises to pay you top dollars for minimal hours of work. Again, it might happen that someone becomes a millionaire by only working a few hours per week but it ain’t likely!

(3) The ad asks for money

This is as sure a sign as any the job is not legitimate. You should never have to pay for work, and certainly not to apply for work.

Have you ever fallen for an online work from home scam? What tips do you have to share with our readers?