A Comprehensive Work-from-Home Scams List

A Comprehensive Work-from-Home Scams ListA Comprehensive Work-from-Home Scams List4The following work-from-home scams list is comprised of job scams that have been around for years, as well as job scams that are newer and more complex. Some of the newer scams are well designed and are hard for even the most experienced job seekers to spot. If you are using job sites other than (where we work hard to ensure a scam-free experience) in your job search, this work-from-home scams list should help guide you away from anything questionable.Avoiding Job Scams A Comprehensive Work-from-Home Scams List for Job SeekersBranding ScamsBranding scams are becoming more popular and are created by copying a brand to trick job seekers into thinking they are the real company.Fake Identity/Copycat ScamsSimilar to branding scams, there are job scams where people or groups of people pose as a company despite the fact that they have NO affiliation. Read more about copycat job scams here.Paying for a JobIf y ou have to pay a startup fee or pay to be hired, more than likely the job is a scam. A legitimate job pays you, not the other way around.Text homilie/IM Job OffersTechnology has made it possible to connect with people, regardless of location. Some job scams send job opportunities through text message or instant message.Fake URLEach company has a unique domain name, but there are scams out there that use a companys name and include it in a generic URL. For instance.com (REAL) versus.jobsearch.com (FAKE).LinkedIn ProwlingSocial media, including LinkedIn, is huge for job searching and recruiting. While many legitimate recruiters make contact through LinkedIn and even sites like Twitter and Facebook, its important to research the recruiter and company before responding, because scammers use these platforms, too.Phishingschmelzglass, texts, phone calls, instant messages. You name it, and there is a phishing scam. If a job is requiring you to click a specific link or is asking for detaile d personal and financial information, its trying to collect your sensitive information for malicious use.Money MovementNot only is this a job scam, but it can land you in some legal hot water. There are no legitimate jobs that require you to receive money, keep a portion, and send the rest on.Package ProcessingSimilar to money movement, package processing could be borderline illegal, requiring you to receive, process, and send packages of which you have little knowledge.Envelope StuffingWhile sending out correspondence may be PART of a job, legitimate jobs do not have people sitting from home stuffing envelopes all day. Unfortunately, these scams rarely follow through with promised payments.Product AssemblyThese scams promise you work assembling various products for different companies. Often you have to pay for a list of companies looking for your assembly services. However, once you pay for the list, you rarely find the work you thought you would.Unsolicited Job OffersAs a job see ker, you should be keeping track of the jobs you apply for. This is especially helpful since one job scam involves receiving unsolicited job offers. If you havent applied for and interviewed for a job, dont accept the offer.No Verifiable InformationYou found your dream job, but upon further inspection you cant find ANYTHING about the company. If you cant verify a phone number, location, web address, employees, or social media channels, youre looking at a scam. Real companies will have some web presence.Large Salary and No WorkMake $10,000 a week and you only have to work one day Yeah, sure. Lets be real here. Work is work. To make money will require real time and real effort.Generic Job DescriptionJob descriptions are where companies are outlining an exact position. Generic job descriptions will have few details, probably be void of contact information, and will sound like you could do it in your sleep.Generic Email AddressVery rarely should you ever see a job offer come through fro m a personal email address such as Gmail, Yahoo, AOL, iCloud, or Outlook. Recruiters and other professionals will use their company emails to conduct business.Unfortunately, job scams feed off the desperate feelings most job seekers experience. And, because of this desperation and fear, many people fall victim to scams. Despite the need for a job, make sure to do your due diligence, even if it means taking more time in your search. In the end, it is better to be safe and protect your identity while job searching.Readers, which of the above job scams from the work-from-home scams list have you heard of? Have you even found a job scam during your search? Share with us below