Making money online has its pleasures, but may people have fallen victim to scammers. Here’s how to tell if a job is a scam.
More than 166,000 online job scams were reported so far this year. These are opportunities that look like an answer to your employment needs, but there’s not a real job behind the offer.
If you want to work from home, you need to be aware of these scams. You need to know how to tell if a job is a scam. There are several red flags you should watch for.
How to Tell If a Job is a Scam
An online job scam comes from someone looking to take money from you. They may want to steal confidential info for identity theft purposes. They may try to get you to pay money for services or upgrades.
They may try to get you involved in money laundering or stolen goods to hide their tracks. Before you get excited about a new opportunity, watch out for the signs the job isn’t what it seems.
You’re Required to Pay for Extra Services or Equipment
Some legitimate jobs require you to purchase products to sell. If they want you to pay for special equipment or software though, remain wary. If they have special requirements for a job, they should offer the items needed, or give you instructions on where to find needed software.
You also shouldn’t pay for background checks or a resume review. If a company wants you to pay for these services they should cover themselves, think twice. This includes requirements to pay for extra training.
No Details Provided
A legitimate job posting will provide details about the job description or requirements. If you don’t understand the job from the post or an interviewer won’t give details about the job, this is a red flag.
You should ask questions before agreeing to a job. This includes questions about how they pay. A legitimate job will provide paystubs from places such as thepaystubs.com – that are needed for tax purposes. If they won’t give details about these basic questions, it’s likely a scam.
Email Job Scams
You also need to watch out for contact info. If you can’t find contact info on the job posting, or the emails don’t match up, do more research. Many scammers will use legitimate-sounding emails, but it will go to Gmail or Hotmail rather than a business account.
Another red flag is an interviewer asking you to set up an account with a messaging service. If they ask you for personal information through these shady methods, do not give it.
Unreasonable Promises
Don’t trust a job that promises more than seems reasonable. If they’re paying more than you’d expect for the type of job or skill set required, don’t trust it.
You should also remain wary if someone contacts you out of nowhere to offer a job. If you haven’t sent an inquiry, it’s probably not legitimate.
Research Online Jobs
Don’t provide any information or take any next steps until you’ve done your research on an online job. Make sure the company exists online and look at what information there is about them.
If you’re contacted by a well-known company, check the contact info against what’s provided on their website. Contact them to make sure the job is legitimate. If anything seems wrong, you can file a complaint against them.
Find Legitimate Money-Making Opportunities
If you know how to tell if a job is a scam, you can go a long way towards finding legitimate opportunities. There are plenty of money-making opportunities available without getting caught up in scams. To find those opportunities, check out more money-earning tips.