Ways To Avoid Online Scams

The number of people searching for work-at-home ideas is on the upswing. This is a very-popular idea for mothers with small children, people with motion disabilities and others who just want to avoid the hassles of commuting. And while the Internet and the TV are full of such propositions, many are scams that provide little or no real opportunity but do relieve you of your hard-earned money. Here's how to avoid getting taken in by the most popular scams!
1. Medical Billing Scams
These scams appeal to your need by detailing the 'crisis' in our healthcare system and how you can help. They promise big money by working at home to provide computerized billing services including accounts receivable, processing insurance claims and billing clients. Of course, you will be expected to make an investment in order to find out just how to do it. You'll get software, technical support services and training. What you won't get are any paying clients and the Federal Trade Commission doubts you'll ever recover your initial investment. Avoid!
2. Envelope Stuffing Scams
This is one of the oldest scams in the book. It was at work through newspaper and magazine classified ads long before anyone ever thought about PCs or the Internet. These folks promise to tell you how for a small fee. Sometimes that small fee includes still more money for needed equipment and supplies. Quite often your small fee will instruct you to place the same ad you saw in the paper or elsewhere, but if you do, the only money you'll ever see will be from other marks like you. Avoid like the plague!
3. Computer Scams
This one sells you on making money by working at home on your computer to perform data entry and simple word processing tasks. You can get started easily by merely remitting a small fee. What you will actually get for your fee is a useless document that includes a CD with info on how to run a business and perhaps a list of business names. When you contact anyone on the list, they'll either be gone or will offer such terribly low rates that you won't even consider it. Meanwhile your fee is history. Forgettabout it!
4. Assemblies and Craft Work
In this scam, you're told that you can work at home making simple things that the company will purchase from you. You then have to ante up a good sum for needed supplies and materials. You might even have to purchase an expensive sewing machine (from the company of course) along with the various parts that go into whatever you are assembling. Guess what? The company never buys them from you. They claim that your work just isn't up to the standards they require. For suckers only. Steer clear!
5. Pyramid Scams
Pyramid scams are also as old as the hills and many are illegal too. They are actually multi-level marketing schemes (MLMs). They work like this. You are made a 'distributor' who earns commissions on both what you sell and the sales of other people you recruit into the scheme. This is a sure way to make old friends into enemies. Of course there are legitimate pyramid scheme businesses like Mary Kay Cosmetics, Avon and others. The problem is that for every legitimate one, there are ten where the only people who make any money are those at the top of the pyramid. Don't even think about it! Run for the hills!
6. Posting Advertisements
You don't run across this scam too frequently anymore, but they are out there. They will tell you that workers are desperately needed to post their ads on bulletin boards and forums. The only way you'll ever get paid at all is by signing up your friends and relatives and that won't even cover your gas. Stay away from these!
7. Start An Online Business
This scam is found mostly on the Internet. It promises to tell you how to start your own online business and get rich like so many others have. There is a fee fore a useless guide on how to do it. The guide is nothing more than an abbreviated version of the detailed information you can get on the Internet for free. For real suckers only!