Become a Scam-Proof Work at Home Mom

Working from home is a good way for moms to earn some extra cash and still have time to watch the children. Every woman who has become a work at home mom (Wahm) has traveled down the same path. Unfortunately though, that path is laden with scams and traps, all meant totake money and time from honest women who are looking to make money from home.  But with a little common sense and extra research, you can find legitimate work at home opportunities and avoid becoming victims of scams.

Here are some steps:

• Search for jobs in the right places. Often, people simply click on ads to find jobs but often that leads to nowhere. Why not look for  helpful groups of Wahms who have successful work at home jobs to guide your search? You can start your search on  message boards or e-mail groups and you will get ideas  where to start your work at home job search. Because of the wealth of experience being shared in these communities, you will get insights on work at home opportunities that are actually worth your time.
• There are really no ways to get rich quick on the Internet or by working at home. Keep this in mind. Truth be told, the only people who get rich are those who are scamming others. Never believe an claim or a products that claims that you will get rich instantly. It's a red flag for a scam.
• Other red flags are offers asking you to pay for work or to get job lists. You should not have to pay for these since there are plenty of free listings available that can provide tons of work at home opportunities. If you are being sold a jobs list, then you will be disappointed to discover that the lists are often filled with dead job leads, or lists of other companies that want to charge you money. Many work at home scams will also require you to pay a start-up fee or cover the cost of “necessary” training or materials. Legitimate jobs will never require you to pay them any money for you to work.
• Be wary of offers or ads that tell you to  “act now” and claim that their job offer will expire at the end of the day. Make diligent research and do not act on impulse.
• If you want to learn more about a company, do some research on the Better Business Bureau website. The BBB has records of complaints filed against companies. You will see complaints of scams and rip-offs.

So what are the types of jobs that are attractive for scams? Here are a few:

• Envelope stuffing. This is a a common scam, although it is being seen less and less these days but still quite a number of people still fall victim. These jobs are usually  listed as mail service jobs, and then you are asked to pay for a start up kit to start your job. After you receive a start up kit, you are then told  to place your own work at home ads. You basically just sell the start up kit to other people and become a scammer yourself!
• Craft assembly scams. This can take many forms. Usually, you receive a set of crafts and instructions to complete them. You will be asked to pay for the set and then are told you will be reimbursed for the kits and also paid for their assembly. But the scam starts when you returned the assembled kit to them and  you are told that your work is not up to their quality standards. You have just lost money and have been scammed.

You can avoid these scams if you make diligent research and connect with other Wahms who have been successful. When in doubt, ask. There are legitimate jobs out there for Wahms. If you do your research and you don't act impulsively, you can successfully work from home and never be scammed.