Scam Alert Channel
Scam Alert Channel: Home Typing and Word Processing Employment Scams
Over the past
few years, the Internet has
opened up many opportunities
for employment that were
never before available.
Internet telecommuting (or
"work-from-home")
opportunities have made it
possible for people to work
from home, often while
raising families or going to
school. While this can
certainly seem an attractive
option to those who do not
wish or are unable to
commute, it has
unfortunately given rise to
many different scams. Typing
and word processing jobs
often fall into this
category.
If a home clerical job is
advertised on the Internet
by a reputable company, or
by one that you can check
out, it is probably
legitimate. However, some
"outsourcing" companies
claim to offer these same
home typing and word
processing positions for
legitimate companies. These
are the advertisements to
watch out for. Oftentimes,
the company will claim to
have a lot of work, for
which they need several
employees. The stated
responsibilities often
include typing, word
processing, and data entry,
all of which can be
performed from your home.
The scam comes into play
when it is time to fill out
the application; you will be
asked to make a payment that
will serve as an application
fee. Some companies will
even tell you that this fee
will cover certain software
programs needed to complete
the work. It is important to
remember that legitimate
companies do not typically
charge an application fee,
or ask potential employees
to pay for software. If one
does, it is most likely a
scam.
Real clerical outsourcing
firms do not charge
application fees, and most
provide software free of
charge, or allow you to use
programs you already own
such as Microsoft Word or
Excel. If a fee is charged
and you want to find out its
relevance, ask that it be
deducted from your first
paycheck. Legitimate
outsourcing firms also
accept credit cards, so if
one tells you to send cash
or a money order, that
company is probably not
legitimate.
These scam companies
generally give victims the
following timeline: you will
fill out the application,
make your payment, be sent
work that you will complete
and return, and then get
paid. But oftentimes the
work is never sent, and your
money is never returned.
When the company is
questioned about the work
that "is to arrive any day,"
the victim is told that work
will be on the way soon. But
it never comes.
While these scams are
usually offered via the
Internet, they are also
advertised through the mail.
Beware of anyone who charges
you fees you would not
normally pay. Ask plenty of
questions about any fee, no
matter how small, before
paying a penny.
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