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SOHO's Beware
Complaints filed against companies offering work-at-home scams has more than doubled. As more job seekers get online, these scams thrive. Generally, outside of the Internet, advertisements for work-at-home opportunities are also found in the classified sections of local newspapers or national tabloids. While not all offers are phony, many are.
Misleading Ads
You see an advertisement promising money for work you can do at home. The work ranges from addressing or stuffing envelopes to sewing, wood work or crafts. Often, the ads give only vague details about the type of work you'll be doing. They may ask you to send a self-addressed stamped envelope for more information. In response to your inquiry, the company sends information saying you must pay an up-front fee before you can start working. They claim the charge is a registration fee, a deposit on materials, or a fee for a list or booklet naming companies that will hire you.
One of the most common scams offers to pay $3 or $4 per envelope you address or stuff. You send the company $20 or $25. They promise to send you a list of companies that want you to do the work. What you actually get is a list of companies that either do not exist or do not pay people to stuff envelopes. Or you receive instructions on how you can place ads like the one you answered and get unsuspecting consumers to send you money.
Other work-at-home scams involve asking you to pay for a book or list of companies that will pay you to do crafts such as sewing or frame-making in your home. When you contact the companies on the list, you find they do not really pay you for that kind of work, or they require a payment before sending the work materials.
Learn How To Spot Scams
Our Scam Buster toolbar (in conjunction with Amazon, Alexa.com and SOHOjobs) provides you with detailed information about the websites you are visiting. This handy gadget will allow you to search the Web directly from your toolbar, see how much traffic a web site gets, surf more efficiently with Related Links and share opinions about sites with other users. The toolbar's exclusive Site Information allows you to peer behind the scenes of each site on the web. You'll get access to contact information, site stats and user reviews of web sites. You can even write your own reviews. Did you get scammed? Let the world know and prevent others from falling for the same trap. Plus, it's a great way to discover new sites that are offering work at home jobs or assistance.
Stop getting scammed! Get the Scam Busters tool bar FOR FREE!
Strength In Numbers: SOHO Jobs Weekly does not allow scammers in our publication. Jobs must be real, legitimate and worthy of your efforts. After all, we SOHO'ers have to stick together if we are going to wipe out work at home fraud. Please report scammers to us at stopscams@sohojobs.org
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