Tips for Finding Legitimate Work from Home Jobs

How to Avoid Scams and Protect Personal Information

In today’s job market, there are many companies advertising lucrative work-from-home opportunities and with more and more professionals looking to stop the daily grind and work out of a home office, many of these opportunities can sound appealing. The reality is that there are many legitimate work-from-home jobs and just as many, if not more, scams that offer the same opportunities. Here are some tips to help avoid the scams and find legitimate work from home jobs.

Never Send Money without Asking Important Questions

When looking into legitimate work from home jobs, many companies will ask for money to be paid up front to cover the cost of training and start-up materials. Before putting the check in the mail, it is important to do the proper research to make sure the company is legitimate. The first sign of a scam is if there is no contact information listed for the company. It is important to make sure someone can be reached via phone to ask questions before sending anything.

If someone is available to speak with, make sure to ask questions – what is the product or service being sold? What specific tasks need to be completed? How will work be recognized and compensated for? The answers to these types of questions and how willing the company’s representative is with the information will be an indication to the company’s legitimacy. If something seems off about the information given, it is most likely a scam.

If a company is offering a money-back guarantee, make sure to ask about the details before sending a check or making a payment. Ask about the terms in which a refund will be issued, what the process is for requesting one and how long it will take for funds to be received. If it does not become clear if a company is legitimate or not, check with the Better Business Bureau and read reviews or statements about the organization from other consumers.

Keep Personal Information Personal

When applying for a work from home job, it is important to only provide the information necessary for the application - passwords and personal information should not be revealed willingly. If a company asks for direct deposit information on an application, for example, it may be a scam. Once a position has been accepted it is normal to give this information, but bank information is not pertinent to a preliminary job application.

When looking for legitimate work from home jobs it is important to keep wits about and look for signs of a potential scam. Although legitimate jobs may ask for upfront payment to cover certain costs, it is important to ask questions about the company and the job before sending any money. Also, make sure to keep personal information secure throughout the application process. By staying on high alert it will be easy to spot a scam and help find a legitimate work from home job.