Common Work From Home Job Scams

Unfortunately, scams reside everywhere! Even in your job search. The predator looks for the vulnerably desperate to work and goes out their way to create a legitimate looking business to reel you in. Unfortunately these scams can pose to minimal inconveinces in life all the way to criminal charges being brought against for fraud and theft. Suggestedly so, it makes good since to do your homework when someone contacts you about a position that often sounds to easy and good to be true. There are some simple things you can do protect yourself from the Job Scams.

1. Protect your Personal Information Never give out your information on the first phone call. We know it needs not to be said, but never give out your social security number. Nor should you give the last four digits of your social security number. Many of your personal accounts can be accessed by giving the last four digits of your social security number. Plus they can check your credit and obtain fake identication under your name. Now formerly Jose Menendez if now "Your Name Here".

Best Idea If an employers the last four of your Social Security Number to submit you to a job, make up ficticious four digit number and use it for all your job submissions.

2. Research Before replying with your resume, research the company online by visiting their company website and checking for any consumer complaints against the company for fraud. Make sure the email addres you received the job order from matches the company.

Best Idea Get the company's phone number from their website, call the company back and ask for the person who sent you the email. This method is not foolproof, as people buy domain names and put up websites at the drop of a hat. But if they have passed the first step, the second step should be enough to comfirm the validity of the job. Be very wary of positions resulting from overseas.

The Most Popular Job Scams on the Rise Today

1. The International Check Cashing Scam Cleverly disguised as "Foreign Agent Agreement." This job is boldly found on many jobs boards and you may just get an email out of the blue even if you weren't looking for a job to begin with. To give you the short version. You'll get an email the states that their company in Nigeria, Denmark, or Italy has an open position for someone who has a basic accounting background with good administrative details. They need you to accept payments in the form of checks, and bank wires from their clients in the United States. This allows them tax breaks, and essentially you will be paid "under the table" as your employer is over seas. You'll need to be honest and trustworthy. Upon cashing these checks, you'll keep a percentage (perhaps 10% - 15%) for yourself and wire or send a money order to them with the balance. Sounds Fantastic Right? Well, unfortunately, these funds have been obtained fraudently, and the last known paper trail of who cashed in these fraudently checks or received the money wires is you. Putting you in a pretty bad predicament with the law. Definitely steer clear of this Scam!

2. The Home Shipper This one is pretty simple. Basically you are asked to reship merchandise that has been purchased illegally. When the investigation starts for credit card fraud, the first place the police and possible the FBI will show is the place that received the stolen goods! Your House. When you give the Details of where you shipped the merchandise, whether cops believe you or not, chances are the crooks have made off with the goods at that abandoned house they had you ship the goods to. Ouch! This one is ugly too.

3. Or the most inauspicious scam "Envelop Stuffing" Basically you are told to place and ad similar if not the same one you responded to for the job. When you someone sends money in for requesting info on Envelop stuffing, you get paid on the number or responses your ad receives. Kind of chain letter, MLM scam. Some people just have too much free time on their hands.

4. The most common Job Scam If they are asking you to pay for something upfront like a list of companies who hire work from home employees, training materials to work for their company, etc, Move On! No legitimate company should be asking you to pay for anything other than a uniform, and most companies will even provide you that. Say no to Medical Billing!

For the most part, just use common sense. Imagine someone showing up on your doorstep and asking for personal information. Unless you invited them to your home, there is no reason they should be there. Good luck in your job search!