Work at home job scammers of every sort are discovering very tricky ways to hoodwink us in our own email boxes. So convincing - and dangerous - are these spammers that we felt we needed to write this article.
The work at home scams, especially the envelope stuffing scams, have been targeting us in magazine and newspaper ads, bulletin boards and our mail boxes for decades. Now they're using our email addresses to try to con us into believing their get-rich-quick-schemes and handing over our hard-earned cash.
And they're giving us some dangerous, believable spams that are duping thousands of us. This stuff is really convincing so watch out for it!
The work at home envelope stuffing scams have become “email processor”, “data entry”, and “order processing” offers. They’re all the same. They’re written to sound like real jobs but after you pay the money, the only product they deliver is instructions on how to do the same thing that just happened to you.
It never ceases to amaze me how downright creative and convincing these scammers are. What kind of criminal minds must these people have to be able to write such convincing lies and be so incredibly deceitful?
When you want to work at home and haven't discovered the right work at home job yet, it's easy to believe the promises they make, even if they’re not true. But if you want to work at home without getting scammed, watch out for spam emails like this:
The work at home processing orders scam:
“Hot Job: Process Orders From Home. Individuals are needed for work at home order processing. This will involve some data entry work as well. You should have the typing speeds of 50 or more words per minute. You must also have a computer with internet access and valid email.” Of course, when you click on the link you’re invited to pay a registration fee or other sort of fee, only to receive instructions for your new work at home jobs which essentially instruct you to do the same thing they just did, rip someone off.
My personal favorite.
This email was just so awfully deceitful it makes me embarrassed to be a fellow human being of the author who wrote it:
“Dear so and so, We are pleased that you are joining with us to help build a world-class business. This letter is intended to outline some key aspects of your job:”. The email goes on to describe, in detail, a job that sounds very, very legitimate as the personal assistant to the Vice President of Sales, and of course, it promises great wealth. This one paid $10,000 a month plus a $30,000 cash bonus if you just stay there a month. Oh boy! I wish I would have made that kind of money when I was a real personal assistant.
After a lengthy email containing lots of legitimate-sounding stuff, the spam goes on to say “Because this letter is intended only as an outline of some important aspects about this job, it does not form a contract. You will need to get a copy of our " work at home guide" which will fully provide and explain all the necessary information you will need to get started in your new position. Please get a copy at workathomeripoffdomain.com. You will need to get a copy before the start date expires above. We look forward to working together the challenges and rewards that lie ahead.
Bob Keller, Human Resources Director.”
Of course, buying their directory doesn’t guarantee you a job, but by the time you realize it, it’s too late.
See more sample work at home emails here.
And of course, almost all spam contains the statement: This a not a spam!
Most also invite you to click on a link to unsubscribe, but don’t do it! Web security pros say that clicking on the link will only confirm for these spam mongers that your email address is valid and you’ll get even more spam as a result of “unsubscribing”.
Millions of people work at home (4.3 million according to the 2000 census) and the work at home model is here to stay. Thousands of good, honest companies offer work at home jobs.
A legitimate work at home company will NEVER spam you.
NEVER believe work at home spams.
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