When looking for a work at home job, you need to know how to spot a scam. There are several key details that can help a person distinguish a scam from a genuine opportunity. Some things to watch for are companies that ask for money up front, those that make a guarantee that you will make a large amount of money stuffing envelopes or processing claims, companies that ask you to send information to mailing lists, and companies that ask you to call a 900 number for more information on their opportunity.
There is good reason to be leery if a company wants you to pay to find out more information about an opportunity, whether by sending money or calling a fee-based phone number. A legitimate company will provide all of the details regarding the work that is expected of you, the compensation that you will receive, how and when that compensation will be paid, and any other pertinent information. If a company provides this information, but then wants money for a kit or product package, do your homework.
A crafting company will charge money for a kit with the promise that you will be paid for your work and reimbursed for materials found in the kit. The catch is that the craft must be made exactly to the specifications of the company. Many of the companies have a reputation of always turning down the finished product, no matter how well made.
The company that promises you will make money stuffing envelopes or processing claims is simply a pyramid scheme. At one time, companies did pay people to stuff envelopes. These companies were clinics, billing companies and corporations that hired mailroom help and paid them minimum wage to do the job. Now it is usually done by machine due to cost effectiveness and efficiency. If the guarantee of thousands of dollars a week sounds too good to be true, well, you know the old adage…it is too good to be true.
As far as the letter that claims you can make fast money by sending more letters to people it is not only a false claim, it is illegal. This is another of the oldest scams around. This chain mail scheme starts by a person sending out a letter to various people, asking each of these people to send a small amount of money back to the three names at the top of the letter and then forward the letter on, changing a name on the list to their own name.
The gist of the scheme is that when the letter is forwarded, the recipients will each send money back to the sender. Supposedly, as long as the letter continues, the money keeps coming in. The chance of many people actually following through is very slim, but those that do participate (including the original senders) are committing postal fraud.
Avoiding these ploys and using good old-fashioned common sense will go far when you are seeking an at home opportunity. Legitimate work from home opportunities do exist but unfortunately, you will not make money stuffing envelopes.
Related posts:
