by HM Wilson

Created on: July 26, 2008   Last Updated: June 29, 2010

Many people want to work from home. Online jobs are an important key in helping some realize that desire. However, as demand for Internet-based jobs rises, so to do the number of Internet-based job scams. How, then, does one separate the wheat from the chaff? How can you tell if an Internet job is a scam?

One of the first big tip-offs is if it sounds too good to be true. Does the site promise that you will make a lot of money and barely have to work? If so, the flashing lights and ringing bells should be going off, telling you to get out of there as fast as your little mouse can carry you.

While you can earn a decent living working at an online job, you will not get rich. You will earn (emphasis on "earn") a paycheck comparable to that of a part- or full-time job and your pay will usually reflect whether you put part-time or full-time hours in.

The promise of big money, little effort is a classic con. It is designed to prey on people's greed and desperation. Despite this con being a classic, people still fall for it; don't be one of them.

Another neon sign that should tip you off is contact information. Does the company have a telephone number (preferably a land-line)? Does the company have a physical address? If not, be wary.

There should be a more solid way of contacting the company than a simple email address. Con artists regularly set up email accounts using phony information.

If you can't Google directions to where your prospective employer is, question whether they are legitimate.

In fact, that brings us to two other red flags.

Where is the company located? If it is in another country, be very wary. It is best to stick with companies located in your own country; that way, if there is a legal issue, the laws of your country may be able to remedy it.

The other red flag, which you can find by Googleing the company, is bad word-of-mouth. People tend to talk about bad companies. A couple minutes on Google or another search engine could save you serious headaches later.

A final warning sign is money. Do they ask for it? If so, run don't walk. The point to a job, as we all know, is that money flows toward you; if you have to "invest" in order to work for the company, it's a scam.

Ultimately, the best online jobs are those that have good word-of-mouth, maintain a physical location (and may even be a traditional brick-and-mortar company that is simply expanding its potential by hiring online workers), are located in your own country and make no grandiose promises about paying out "big bucks."

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