Better Business Bureau Advice to Avoid getting Scammed
Tough economic times, such as those that we are currently facing leave many people in desperate situations. People often find themselves so desperate to make money to pay off their bills, to pay for their housing and groceries, etc. that they are suckered into scam after scam on the Internet. There are however ways to avoid getting scammed by fraud companies and things to look out for when reading advertisements that appeal to your desperate side.The first and most important piece of advice is to never stray away from the Better-Business-Bureau. The Better-Business-Bureau is a business dedicated to giving you the answers and honesty you need about any type of business (at home or otherwise). Quite simply, they are able to tell you if a business is legitimate or not. Whenever you are feeling weary (and even when you're not), check out the company with the Better-Business-Bureau first.Next, the Better-Business-Bureau published information in 2008 when job seekers began turning more to at-home and online employment. This article listed several "red flags" to search for when reading a job advertisement. Use these flags as a checklist when determining whether or not you will be applying to an on-line job.
1) Check for signs of professionalism. A proper business will send a message to you that is spelt correctly, as appropriate grammar, etc. They will not send you sloppy e-mails with no structure or proper usage of the English language. Also, if you receive an e-mail from a potential online opportunity look for contact information, do they even sign off of their e-mails in a professional manner?There is a huge difference between;"Thank you,Bob Soandso"And;"Thank you,Mr. Bob Soandso, B.A (Hons.)Senior ExecutiveABC Company1234 Name StreetBob Ville, Ottawa1-866-444-9999 (ext. 223)"The professionalism and manner of delivery that a potential employer possesses is a tell-tale sign of their legitimacy. Follow your gut. If you feel that you are being approached by a scammer then do not go further in your investigation, chances are you are right.2) Employers seeking social security number (or social insurance number in Canada) and bank information. If you are offered employment without having to participate in an interview and then personal information is requested of you to fill out so-called paperwork, be alarmed. It should be advised never to provide personal information (especially your social security number) over the computer. You never know who you are giving this information to and what they may do to cause immense damage for you.3) When something sounds "too good to be true" chances are, it is. Getting rich while sitting at home in your pajamas is an appealing thought but is unlikely to happen. If there was the potential to sit at home and make thousands of dollars per week in your pajamas with no education then why would colleges and Universities continue taking millions of students annually? It makes no sense and thus will make you no cents! Always examine companies and compare them to the Better-Business-Bureau.4) The first red flag, if the others previously were not, should be when money is asked for upfront. Companies may tell you that they need money to send you training material but from experience, this is a lie. Once, I paid $10.00 to a company (not a large amount but it's $10.00 that I will never forget) for a so-called training material. The entire training manual in itself was a scam telling you to e-mail other people and ask them to pay you $10.00. It was a pyramid of $10.00 going from one persons hands to the next. Also be especially alarmed when they instantly make it clear that this amount of money is non-refundable, clearly this is money that could and likely will be wasted.Use your better judgement when applying to jobs on the Internet. There are many dishonest people out there trying to take advantage of people, especially during desperate times. If at all possible avoid applying to any on-line, work-at-home opportunities but if you are going to, first check out the legitimacy of the website and check the above four red-flags.Also, if you found the posting on a local job network that you are also able to post to, notify others in the area of the scam or report the advertisement if you are able to. Fraud companies deserve to be defeated and this can only be done through proper knowledge of how to spot them and communication amongst fellow job seekers.
