Due to the events of this year, many people are left in a situation of uncertainty workwise. The coronavirus pandemic has brought many businesses to a halt and an inevitable economic recession. This means that many people are looking for work.

Whereas there are plenty of legitimate ways to make money from home, there are also a number of scams around, offering a too-good-to-be-true scenario of making an easy salary from your laptop. These often involve fraudulent companies offering courses or jobs in exchange for a small fee. If you’re looking to work from home, here are seven ways to avoid these scams.

Recognizing a scam

Learn how to see a pattern forming regarding these scams. You’ll notice that there will be certain key signs that show which offers are legitimate or not. If you feel like you’ve been affected in any way by these scams or a consumer issue, firms like Sadaka could help you with a class-action lawsuit, as others with undoubtedly have been wronged as well.

If it seems too good to be true…

If it seems too good to be true, then it probably is. Be wary of scams promising high earnings from minimal effort. In the real world, this wouldn’t exactly be viable, so if you see an ad like this it’s more likely to be fraudulent. Unfortunately, if the opportunity sounds like a dream come true then there must be a catch. Evaluate the situation from the company’s perspective, how could they be making so much money if they’re paying their employees a high salary for little work?

Keep a clear head

Keep a clear head and don’t let your emotions take control. If you’re looking for a new job, there are plenty of available top tips to get back into the world of work. Think rationally and don’t let scammers play on your emotions. Often scams will use manipulative language, for example, boosting your confidence saying you “deserve” this offer. Unfortunately, this is a common marketing trick used to appeal to people’s emotions.

Do your research

The internet is a great resource. Look up the company on Google and social media. Read reviews and price comparisons. You’ll soon be able to see if they’re legitimate by doing your research. You could even search the company name alongside scam or fraud. This way you’ll find out if anybody else has reported them in the past.

Be aware of themes

There are often common types of scams you can look out for. These include data entry, pyramid marketing, and envelope stuffing. Again, these all appear as jobs that almost anyone could do from home, but that’s the trick. If you discover more online scams you could do your bit and publish lists online. This would help bring them into the light for other people.

Avoid search engine ads and email links

Scams often pop up in the form of search engine ads or ads on other websites. Never click on these ads, instead, research the company first. If the ad is legitimate then you should be able to find plenty of back up information from more reliable sources.

Email links are very common, especially if you’ve already been looking for work. Your data will have been picked up by cookies somewhere along the line and your email address would have been added to a mailing list. If you get any unsolicited job offers in your emails, assume that the majority of these will be scams.

Don’t pay for work

Many recent scams have also been asking for an up-front fee. If you think about it, this is very unusual. Don’t pay for a job offer or a training course with the promise of a successful career at the end, especially if it’s unsolicited. Sometimes scams ask for start-up costs for their business and promise that with your investment, you’ll be a shareholder. If you suspect that you or somebody you know has been scammed, report it immediately. This is especially important if you’ve given out any personal information or made any sort of payment. Report it to your bank, and the authorities.

Of course, there are plenty of legitimate job offers out there are resources to find them. These include national board job sites that screen and verify any work-from-home opportunities. If in doubt, go to the company’s website and look for signs of a scam. If you keep your wits about you, you’ll be able to find a safe and reliable job opportunity.