Work-at-Home Scams: Have You Been Sucked In?

According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) they continue to receive numerous complaints of people that have fallen victim to work-at-home scams.  Today, with continued lay-offs more and more people may find themselves in a position of needing to determine a real online opportunity from some of the notorious, yet enticing scams.

Both FBI and IC3 state that most of the reports involve being hired to process payments, transfer funds, reship products, or even participate as a mystery shopper.  They recommend remaining skeptical of unsolicited job offers and easy money opportunities.

When attempting to evaluate an online opportunity here are a few pointers to keep in mind:

1. Is the owner's name and contact information available directly on the site?
2. Do you get a real reply when speaking with their help desk?
3. How long have they been online?
4. Do they have real life testimonials?
5. Are they offering quick money or honest hard work?

While there are a lot of scams and get rich quick schemes floating on the internet there are also real opportunities to earn an honest income from home.  The more established a program is the more deserving it is of your attention.

Avoiding scams isn't the only dirt you need to sift out either.   Many "gurus" online are willing to teach you their methods of making money as long as you 're willing to foot a nice bill paid directly to them.  Unfortunately too often these "gurus" walk out with a pocket full of cash and leave you with useless and outdated information.

With a little due diligence you will be able to sift through the bad and sort out the good with the end result of finding what really works for you.  For more information on the latest information about cyber scams you can visit www.fbi.gov or to report a complaint visit www.ic3.gov.