How to Spot A Scam Online Job, Vs. Legitimate Career

We've all gotten the spam email, or seen the ads on social media: "work from home, make big money" or something to that extent.

Federal Trade Commission says more and more scammers are trying to lure people with online work.

The FTC says it's one of the fastest-growing forms of scamming or fraud. The work-from-home trend actually began to pick up some steam prior to COVID, but during and after the pandemic, it has exploded.

Thousands of people perform various work-from-home digital jobs, involving computers. One of the fields seeing the highest rates of scamming is what's called an appointment setter. According to the FTC:

"An appointment setter is someone who schedules calls for a company’s sales staff and potential clients to help them close deals. You’re typically paid an hourly rate, but might earn bonuses based on the number of appointments you successfully set. If you need training, the employer should offer it at no cost to you."

However, the FTC says be careful before agreeing to sign on with one of these companies, and do not offer any personal information 'live' on the phone or fill out any employment app before asking questions. Scammers usually promise very high salaries, these jobs tend to have more modest incomes. Scammers demand you pay for training, legitimate operations will not. Scammers guarantee a job, legitimate businesses do not guarantee without question.

"Take your time and talk to someone you trust. Scammers will try to pressure you to get involved or risk losing out.
Do some research. Search online for the name of the company and words like “review,” “scam,” or “complaint.” Check with your state attorney general for complaints. No complaints? It doesn’t guarantee that a company is honest, but complaints can tip you off to possible problems.
Read success stories and testimonials with skepticism. They might not be true or typical. Glowing stories of success could be fake or misleading, and positive online reviews may have come from made-up profiles."

The FTC says if you do suspect scamming activity, you can report it, click here to go to the FTC reporting page: