Looking for Work in the New Year? Be Wary of Scams.

You may be interested in increasing your income in the New Year, but when seeking employment it’s important to be aware of work-at-home scams. This type of fraud is perpetrated in a variety of ways, from buying and reshipping products to building e-commerce websites that promise you a cut of the action based on the web traffic you generate.
One thing that most work-at-home scams have in common is that they offer easy money for low effort. If it seems too good to be true, it probably is. Here are some other red flags:

• Up-front fees: many work-at-home scams pose as business opportunities, and require you to pay money in advance for customer lists, startup costs, marketing materials or supplies.
• Seeking personal information: be wary of work-at-home opportunities that ask for your Social Security number or banking information. This may be a front for identity theft.
• Recruiting others: work-at-home scams often operate as pyramid schemes and therefore require you to include others. Be skeptical if you are asked to involve others in the work.

 

Although work-at-home offers can be tempting, make sure to do your homework through an organization like the Better Business Bureau, a local workforce center or your state’s department of labor and employment prior to participating in any work-at-home opportunities.  And if the promise of a hefty salary for a job that doesn’t seem to require much effort comes across your plate, report it to an AARP Foundation ElderWatch volunteer specialist at 1-800-222-4444, option 2.

Prevent Financial Elder Abuse!  Call us Monday–Friday, 9 a.m.–4 p.m. MT.  Our trained specialists are here to listen and provide assistance.  Recognize, Refuse, Report. 1-800-222-4444, option 2 or in the Denver Metro Area, please call 303-222-4444