If you are new the world of making money online fast, the first steps are always the hardest. How do you start? What do you do? How can you protect yourself? Making money online seems to be a myth, with numerous warnings and pitfalls along the way.

The first thing you should know is that it’s totally possible to supplement your income by working online.

There are many legitimate ways to increase your income, but you have to be careful. Many people are afraid of even trying to make money online, because of the proliferation of scams, identity theft, and unscrupulous people who are eager to separate you from your money.

But it is possible – even easy – to supplement your income online, as long as you learn to avoid the pitfalls that are inherent with the process. Here are some things to remember as you look for ways to make money online. Following are a few stumbling blocks that you should avoid when starting to work online.

Not Doing Your Research.

Before you embark on any endeavor, use an internet search engine to thoroughly research the company. Look for real reviews, customer complaints, legal actions, Better Business Bureau alerts and other warnings to make sure you know exactly who you are dealing with before you start.

Paying Money to Make Money.

The easiest way to spot a scam is to see whether the company wants you to pay them to get started. Forget about these methods, because you will get little to nothing in return. Regardless of how attractive it may sound, avoid sending any money to start work.

Remember, if you were hired into a brick-and-mortar company, would they ask you to pay before you started?

Not Having a PayPal Account.

PayPal is a trusted, safe way to have money sent to your bank account, and you can sign up in a matter of minutes. Stay away from people who want to wire you money, or payment in the form of checks, money orders, or even cash.

Not Guarding Your Personal Information.

There’s no rule that says you have to reveal information about yourself in order to make money. Try to keep your email name, your accounts, as androgynous as possible so you don’t give away your name, gender, age, or home location (“using bobsmith45_Seattle”just isn’t a good idea).

Use names that are non-specific, such as “Travel_Expert” or “BestAuthorEver.” You can even make up a name – there’s no reason for you to reveal anything about yourself.

Not Having a Separate Email Business Account.

Keep all of your “business” correspondence separate from your casual or home accounts. That way, if you ever have any problems, you can rest assured that your private information will not be compromised.

Expecting Immediate Results.

“Get Rich Quick” scams lead you to believe that you can profit in an extremely short amount of time (hence the name). Many legitimate sites will build in time before they send your payment to make sure the clients are able to pay. Look for payment times between 2 weeks to once or twice per month.

Don’t be nervous about finding work online. It is totally possible to supplement your income by working for legitimate companies who need your skills. Just take your time, don’t jump too quickly, and you will find success.