| Work at home internet jobs are an increasingly popular | | | | - Get references from other people doing the work. A |
| option, particularly with the sharp rise in unemployment | | | | legitimate company will be happy to supply you with |
| over the last couple of years. The increased number | | | | the names and contact details of other employees or |
| of people seeking work from home opportunities has | | | | contractors. |
| resulted in a significant increase in work from home | | | | - Check out the business address and contact |
| scams. Recently the Internet Crime Complaint Center | | | | numbers to ensure the company actually exists as a |
| (IC3), a partnership between the FBI and the National | | | | physical entity |
| White Collar Crime Center, released its 2009 annual | | | | These are some of the most common work from |
| report about fraudulent activity on the internet. The | | | | home scams currently on the internet. Some work at |
| report showed an increase in online crime and fraud | | | | home internet jobs are legitimate but consider it a red |
| complaints of over 22 percent from 2008. The total | | | | flag to do some research on the company before |
| loss to individuals from online fraud was $559.7 million, | | | | committing yourself to anything. |
| up from $265 million in 2008. | | | | - Data entry jobs that require you to purchase a |
| The IC3 has received many complaints about work | | | | starting package or ask a fee for training manuals and |
| from home scams. The fraud or scam usually involves | | | | software |
| the payment of an advance fee for registration, | | | | - Offers to start your own online business and get rich |
| equipment, information or training or the victim is lured | | | | quickly. Usually the victim ends up paying for a guide to |
| into providing personal information, including banking and | | | | working at home which provides information readily |
| credit card details to the online company. Advance | | | | available for free on the web |
| Fee fraud was the second biggest internet scam | | | | - Lists of companies that provide "legitimate" work at |
| reported in 2009. | | | | home opportunities. Many people get scammed into |
| Various consumer watchdog sites responded to the | | | | purchasing these lists that offer guaranteed work at |
| report by offering advice to people seeking work at | | | | home jobs. They are often just a list compiled out of |
| home internet jobs. Primarily people are urged to do | | | | the phonebook and many of the companies, if they do |
| their homework and investigate the online company or | | | | actually exist, have no idea they are a potential |
| business. The following organizations can be contacted | | | | employer. |
| to find out whether they have received any complaints | | | | You can avoid internet based work from home scams |
| regarding the business opportunity. | | | | and still enjoy the benefits afforded by work at home |
| - The Federal Trade Commission operates on behalf | | | | internet jobs by developing a home based business |
| of the consumer to prevent scams and fraud | | | | that is independent of any online company or |
| - The Attorney General's office in the state where the | | | | organization. There are a number of possible home |
| company is located | | | | business opportunities using your home computer. With |
| - The local Better Business Bureau | | | | internet access and basic computer skills it is possible |
| - The local Chamber of Commerce | | | | to start a successful Work from Home Computer |
| - The National Fraud Information Center | | | | Business that is both rewarding and profitable. Budding |
| If the business opportunity sounds too good to be true | | | | entrepreneurs can avoid getting caught up in the |
| it probably is. In addition to investigating the company | | | | growing web of work at home scams by establishing |
| the following steps can be taken to avoid work from | | | | their own successful home based business. |
| home scams: | | | | |