Your Guide To Avoiding Work From Home Disasters

Working from is becoming a very attractive way of earning decent money - very fashionable too. People working from home can arrange their own work schedule around family commitments, therefore keeping everyone happy. The thought of being your own boss is also an interesting prospect. No more workplace politics and worries! However, although that all sounds idyllic, there can be many pitfalls. One such pitfall is the abundance of work at home scams you may be lured into. Hope my guide helps you avoid just that!

• Companies offering large amounts of money for limited or simple tasks should be avoided straight away. Don't be fooled by the £ signs. If it seems too good to be true, then yes you've guessed it, it probably is! These can include work such as the processing of claims or e-mails and also product assembly. If the job offer is legitimate, the emphasis will be on the content of the job rather than dazzling you with £ signs. Don't be fooled!

• If out of the blue, a fantastic job offer comes your way, then please stop and take time to consider it very carefully. If you haven't heard of the word "phishing" then please research it now. Do not become a victim of "phishing" and certainly never divulge any personal information or details.

• You should never be asked for up-front payments by companies before you start work. Legitimate companies and businesses would not be expecting you to pay for your own materials or information. You may have at times to contribute towards training but please look into this extensively before you part with any money. Ensure that anything you commit to is backed up in writing. Local Citizens Advice Bureaus can provide accurate advice with such topics.

• Another popular scam is for a fee to be charged for a list of companies looking for people prepared to work from home. Yes, you will receive a list, but such a list is usually worthless.

• Try to avoid "get rich quick" schemes too. The main thing is not to be taken in and pressurised into making a decision quickly. Some scams will push for a decision before a certain deadline. This does not give you the time you need to check out the company - I wonder why?

There are so many scams out there that it would be impossible for me to list them all, and of course these are ever-changing but I hope my general guidelines will assist you.
Yes, there are many varied, valid and legitimate money-making home based job opportunities out there, but please take the time you need to do careful research before choosing the one you want to go for. Always be alert, don't rush headlong into anything and this will pay off in the long run. If you know you can trust the company you are working for, you will able to relax and put your efforts into making a success of it.

I hope you have enjoyed reading this article and that it has given you some guidance about work from home scams.

By Linda J Morrice