BigDaddyCool

OK, now that the stimulus package is law we should be seeing an influx of jobs and the economy will improve, right? Well not so fast, it is going to take time for all of that money to get to where it needs to goso that we can all go back to work and resume supporting our families.

By the way, Memo to Gov. Butch Otter of Idaho: If you really don’t want to sully your hands with that dirty bailout money, my offer to relieve you of it myself still stands.

Call me.

Now if you look at the headline you are probably thinking that I am going to debunk the prospect of working at home in your own business or tellecommuting from your current yob. Trust me, I’m not. Look don’t get me wrong, there are plenty of opportunities out there which will enable you to work from your home. If you are unemployed, underemployed or underutilized then this option would be very attractive to you.

Unfortunately there are also a lot of scam artists out there who would be more than willing to take advantage of you. Dale Dixon, who is the President and CEO of the Better Business Bureau hears of a lot of scams that come his way, and recently in my local fishwrap he shared some tips on how to avoid being taken in by these hucksters. I’m re-printing the article here for you:

Scam Alert! People who hope to work at home must be wary

- Idaho Statesman
Edition Date: 02/18/09
Life with the Better Business Bureau leads to fascinating conversations in social settings. I enjoy hearing about the e-mails from Nigeria promising fortunes from long-lost relatives. The stories of phone calls from schemers offering lower interest rates create a good laugh.

Recently, the conversations have turned from story-telling to a sincere statement: I need a job. That’s followed by a question: Is there a legitimate work-at-home job?

The simple answer is yes. However, any job advertised as a work-at-home opportunity calls for scrutiny.

The BBB is hearing from people who responded to online classified ads promising high pay and low hours while working in a robe and slippers.

The FBI is also hearing from victims who thought they were hired to process payments, transfer funds or reship products. These were scams.

Other schemes have the victims receiving and cashing bad checks, transferring money for the criminals, or receiving stolen merchandise and shipping it to the criminals.

I’ve spent time in this space writing about mystery-shopper scams where people receive fraudulent checks with instructions to cash the checks and wire the funds to test a company’s services. These always end with the shoppers losing money.

Work-at-home scams give the bad guys an unsuspecting helper to carry out a crime or a chance to commit identity theft when victims provide their personal information. The criminal/employer then uses the victim’s information to open credit cards, post on-line auctions and register Web sites in the victim’s name to commit additional crimes.

If you’re looking for work, and like the idea of working from home, here are a few tips:

Don’t pay for a job. If you’re asked to buy a training package or pay any type of fees for the job, avoid it. Never wire money to someone you don’t know, even if you are sent a check. Fraudulent wire transfers are one of the most common scams.

Protect your information. If the scammers can find your contact information in a resume posted online, they’ll contact you. A reputable career Web site offers confidential e-mail addresses and acts as a buffer between you and the world. Never include your Social Security number, driver’s license or birth date on an online resume or share this information until you have confirmed that the employer and the job offer are the real deal.

If you’re contacted by a potential employer and they’re using a Hotmail, Yahoo, Gmail or MSN e-mail address, watch out. Legitimate communication will come from a corporate domain.

Don’t believe claims of extremely high pay for little work.

If you’re interested in working from home, find a reputable company looking for employees. If the job can be done off-site, ask if they’re willing to let you work from home.

If you have been a victim of Internet crime, file a complaint at www.IC3.gov. If you are inquiring about a work-from-home opportunity that comes your way, contact the BBB and have us check it out for you.

Dale Dixon is president and CEO of the Better Business Bureau, a not-for-profit organization serving Southwest Idaho and eastern Oregon. Reach him at 342-4649 or ddixon@boise.bbb.org.

Just remember, if it sounds to good to be true – GOOGLE IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!