It’s hard to pass up a job opportunity that promises a large income and the flexibility of working entirely from home. Especially when the opportunity appears at the top of your online search results and includes video testimonials of success stories, making it seem legitimate. The problem is, most of these job opportunities are scams and won’t deliver on their promises.
Today, the FTC announced that a federal court put a temporary stop to a work-at-home scam that failed to live up to its promises. According to the FTC, Work At Home EDU made false claims that people could earn “hundreds of dollars, per hour from home, without any special skills or experience” by paying for a $97 work-at-home program. Once people paid, they were told that for $194.95 more, they could buy the advanced program and earn a whopping six figures a month. Unfortunately, none of it was true.
If you’re looking to work from home, here are some questions to ask to help you determine if a program is legitimate:
- What tasks will I have to perform? Are any other steps involved?
- What is the total cost of this work-at-home program? What will I get for my money?
- Will I be paid a salary or commission?
- Who will pay me? When will I get my first paycheck?
- What is the basis for your claims about my likely earnings? What documents can you show me to prove your claims are true before I give you any money?
Before you hand over any money, also make sure you know what information you’re entitled to under the FTC’s Business Opportunity Rule. Doing an online search of the company’s name with the words “complaint,” “reviews,” or “scam” also can be a good way to hear what others have to say.
For more, read our article Work-at-Home Businesses. And report scams to the FTC.
