Online Scams

For some reason this is out of order, this was published in 2010, not 2011.



http://voices.yahoo.com/online-scams-7333054.html?cat=15


Online Scams



So you've decided you'll just go to work online. Forget all about applying for one job after another only to be turned down. Everyone seems to have a reason to turn you down. Unemployment ran out a good while back, savings too, and you've sold just about everything you own.



You've got to do something, and you've heard tell that some people are doing very well working online. Since you still have your computer and can get online, you've decided this is just right for you.



Besides you can go to work in your pajama's at least that's what the commercials all say. Sleep till noon; forget the high-stress commute, the traffic and all the aggravation that goes with finding a parking spot. You'll just work from the comfort of your own home.



Sounds great right? And it is great if you are able to wade through all the online scams to something that is legitimate, something that you can do, something that can keep you motivated.



When you work from home you do have to have a degree of self-motivation, and it helps to be somewhat organized, otherwise you may not do so well.



So first off talk to real people who are doing online computer jobs People you know in real life, not just people you only know online. You never really know if someone online is telling you the truth or not. So it's wise to be cautious. The same can be said of people you know in real life.



But in general it is going to be easier for you if you can find someone who is doing what you are considering, best if it is someone you've known for a while.



This however is not always possible, because maybe all of your friends work traditional jobs, or have their own businesses that do not require working online for anything, other than possibly the ordering of supplies or shipping of orders.



So what do you do if you really want to work online for a legitimate online company?
First you need to go to Google and start searching. Now if you just put "work at home, online jobs" you will inevitably turn up a lot of scams. Some of which will cost you most dearly.



So before you send any information or approach any company that you may find online. Do some research on the company your considering; this will help weed out some of the bad apples.



One thing that I've found is helpful to avoid a scam is to enter the company name along with scam into the search engine, when I've done that I've turned up all kinds of things. Such as people complaining about a particular company because it was not what it claimed. Another idea is to put the company name in the search engine along with legal problems.



Or you can just connect to the BBB website and do a search, to see if there is anything there that you should know.



But even doing this will not weed out everything. But it may help you to skip over some of the worst.
Something about scam artist is they really don't change their methods very much, whether online or offline. If something sounds too good to be true, in general this is very true.



The internet however has made it seem like this general rule is not always true. Or at least not as true as it once was. But really the rule stands it is still true.



To make money it does not take money so much as it takes perseverance, diligence and hard work. You can do very well working online, either for yourself or for a company. But the key word that you must remember here is (working).



You are not going to start a business place it on autopilot and expect to do well. Especially a new business, anything worth doing is worth doing right.



So first do your research. Then decide if you have the skills and talents to do well with the company of your' choosing. There are many legitimate companies that you can choose from. After you weed out the scams, or unprofitable places, where you are likely to come away with very little if anything, in other words some things are just a waste of time.



So where might you find paying jobs? One suggestion I have is for you is to go on the "Work At Home Forums". You will find many people there who are already doing a variety of jobs online. You may find a lot of helpful information just by reading the forums, and avoid places where others have already been taken advantage of.



A common work at home, online job that you will find is a call center job. These jobs you have to apply for just as you would for a traditional job outside of your home. If you meet the requirements and are hired you will need to make sure you stick to the schedule you apply for.



In other words it may be a nice thought to work in your pajama's and lounge around with your laptop in front of you. Working a while, playing a game awhile, etc. this however is not very professional, and could lead you into being too lazy to get very much work done, if any.



Meaning you will find yourself with an extreme shortage of money. You may even have found a very good online company to work for, but due to your own neglect, not make enough money to even make it worth your while to turn on your computer.



So what should you do? First you need a schedule, where you get up, get a shower, get dressed, do your regular household chores, get a little exercise in, even a nice brisk walk around the block. Eat your breakfast, clean up, and then go to work.



Set an alarm clock for regular scheduled break times, and place a "do not disturb" sign on your office door during your working hours. Just because you are home, your family and friends may not take your online commitments seriously. Which will cause you problems, because just like you can't take your family and friends to the factory with you, it is not wise to let your family think you are available during working hours for anything other than a true emergency.



Now you can spend your breaks and lunch with our family this is a plus. But unless your family and friends are all doing the same job as you, and you have a rather large office, when you are at work you are at work, not at home.



Now that we've got that settled let's start looking at what points out and identifies a scam right off the bat.



Number one, is as we said anything that sounds too good to be true, or anything that suggests that you will not have to put effort, time and commitment into what you are doing.



Any job whether online or offline takes effort, time and commitment. You have to grow your business; you cannot just start a business and expect to do well without some serious thought.


 
And also some serious work, you may find over time that you do not have to work as hard as you did in the beginning. But without a good foundation, your business or online job is not going to do well.
Okay, number two any company that wants you to pay them in order to be hired has a problem. I mean seriously think about it, if you're looking for a job you are probably needing income, or more income, if you're looking in to a second job. You're not looking for a way to spend more money.
However do remember that if a company routinely does background checks these are legitimate fees, and not a fee to pay in order to get a job.



And yes, I have found companies that wanted me to pay so many hundreds of dollars or even several thousand in order to work for them. To me this was ridiculous as I had no money to begin with, which is why I was trying to find a paying job. There may at times truly be a legitimate reason for a company to want you to pay some kind of fee for equipment. But really I tend to doubt it.



Because if you will be using the company's equipment at your home, they will have already done background checks on you, they will have hired you, as placed you on their company payroll, and any equipment that you may use will be insured. The company will also have reason to believe that you can properly operate the equipment.



Just as you can find many scams offline, on how to make thousands if not millions of dollars you can find many times over the same types of scams online.



But do not be discouraged because there are many jobs online that can be found, just as there are many jobs offline that can be found. You just have to be diligent and use discernment as you search.
Word of mouth is still the best resource, go to people who you know in person, who have or are working from home. You may find your friends, and family, are the most helpful in turning up leads to paying online jobs.



A lot of times you will find you have to go through a lot of trial and error, before you find the online job that will work for you.



There are many choices, everything from writing jobs, for places like associate content, constant content, helium, hallmark, your favorite magazines, blogging etc. Designing jobs, research jobs, call center jobs, computer programming, online teaching jobs, etc.



Finding legitimate companies that will hire you is as I said above a matter of trial and error. But once you find the company that suits you, or even several companies, you may find that you save a lot of money by giving up the traffic commute to work every day, save on the wear and tear on your clothing, shoes, and health.



Working from home may be a lot less stressful for you, and your family. Not to mention with the money you've save from not having to commute, you'll have extra money to use when you go on your next vacation.



Also if your work is completely online, if you decide you really want to go across country, you can, without having to schedule time off with your company. Just make sure you remember to bring your computer and connect at regular schedule times.