Work From Home Scams – Tips to Avoid Getting Ripped Off

It is estimated that around 99% of internet Work From Home opportunities are scams. Just do a search on the phrase “work from home scams” and you will see what I mean. In response to the growing number of “scammers”, there are now websites dedicated to naming and shaming the scammers. I developed an interest in this area whilst on maternity leave. I started to look into some of these “opportunities” more for my own interest than anything else. There are some genuine opportunities out there. I’ve put them all together on my website, www.moneymakingmap.net.

Obviously my website doesn’t cover every single opportunity out there, so here are a few tips to help you avoid getting ripped off.

1. CONTACT and SUPPORT. Many websites promise 24 hour support to help you get up and running and become successful. In many cases, this support simply does not exist. The first and most important thing to do is EMAIL and PHONE them, just to see what response you get. Often this is a bit of an eye-opener about what sort of support you will be offered once you sign up. The alarm bells will be ringing if this doesn’t go well.

2. SCAM SEARCH. This is vital! Do a Google search and include the name of the website and/or company and the word “scam” and see what comes up. If I found a site with poor reviews, I simply didn’t go any further with them and I certainly didn’t include them in my website. If you can’t find any negative reviews on a website/company, of course it does not mean they aren’t scammers, so still proceed with caution.

3. SCAMMER WEBSITES. With the numbers of internet scams increasing steadily, there are now watchdog sites out there dedicated to naming and shaming the scammers. I recommend having a look at www.scambusters.org, and www.scamfreeinternet.com.

4. KEEP YOUR HANDS IN YOUR POCKET. Don’t sign up and spend megabucks impulsively. You may regret it. One of the best internet opportunities I signed up for cost me only $70 and it took me a few days to decide if it was right for me or not.

5. SHOW ME THE $$$MONEY$$$. Look for proof of earnings on the website. Copies of PayPal account summaries can be added to websites. These generally are good proof of income.

6. PROMISE OF GUARANTEED EARNINGS. Beware websites that promise your will earn “X” amount within a certain time frame. They simply cannot promise such things as your success depends on a variety of factors such as how much time you can put into it or what your background is.

7. THERE’S NO HURRY. Don’t rush into anything – the site will still be there tomorrow (well unless it’s a scam that has run it’s course!) and if you are drawn to a site again and again, your instincts may be telling you that it is genuine. But still don’t rush into anything without considering all of the above tips.

I hope these little snippets of advice help you to avoid getting ripped off. Please visit my website at www.moneymakingmap.net.