Avoiding work at home scams?

Having just started with work at home on the internet my inbox has been full with so many offers - get the picture? Well as I see it you certainly can be self-employed and live comfortably but you need to avoid the dubious promises of work at home scams. It seems obvious doesn't it but if you are broke, or getting that way then many of these scams might be very tempting. Like all things in life, no matter the pressure take a tip - do some research first. I just received a scam this morning from a friend of mine - although I honestly doubt he actually sent it. Let's just go through a few pointers which came out of this scam.

Some pointers from real life

1. The email came from my friend with a very short and blunt message - "Hey try this". Although we aren't very close friends I immediately became suspiscious as he would never have sent me an email without a greeting of some description. However I decided to give it a go so I could warn my friends about this type of scam - including you!
2. The initial page, on opening the link purported to show a news program bulletin, where the newscaster had interviewed this lady who, bless her, had made thousands of dollars in the first month. Stop right there - this does not happen in real life.
3. I then clicked on the "try this" button and got the next load of information telling me how I could not go wrong etc.
4. I then looked at the page and saw the headings at the top which we all might see on an e- newspaper - you know the sort - Home, International etc. I clicked on all and they all took me to the same information - so far not genuine at all.
5. I then decided to go for it and filled in the name email and post code boxes, (by the way I live outside the USA). I was then told all was being sent to my email. Clearly another pointer.
6. So into the email and I am welcomed, and asked to sign in. I did so with the details provided to me, which a previous screen had told me would only be sent on a Monday to Friday time frame ???
7. At this stage my security software took over and told me this was a scam (as if I had not guessed), and that this site was known for dowloading malicious software. What would have happened if I had not my security software switched on or installed?

Okay so I did this so I could write this article and hopefully save some of you from future computer problems, and I hope you all have security software installed!

How to avoid these scams.

Let's just list a few factors which you should always bear in mind in this journey to WAH success.

• Be extra careful with unsolicited emails even if they supposedly come from a friend - often they won't as did mine above.
• Do not think you can make easy money because there is no such thing in life. It always requires hard work and patience. Beware of any scheme that says otherwise.
• Do some research on the company that is making you an offer. These days it is so simple to do a web search for the company and then add the words "is it a scam" and see what comes up.
• Learn all the details before you pay anything as getting the money back may not be as easy as they say in the advertisements.

To many of you this may be old hat stuff, but if you are new like me it pays to be extra careful - good luck.