The Work at Home Mom A cautionary tale

Jane was a stay at home mom who was looking for a way to contribute financially to the household when she saw this ad.

Jane sent in the money and waited for the promised package to arrive in the mail.

Jane Smith 4938 Main St. Aker, IN 39483 Work at Home Corp. PO Box 398 Dallas, TX 9438 All she received for her money was a description of how she could place the same ad online and in classifieds and collect money from others looking for honest work.

Typing jobs (Most ads lead to pyramid schemes.) Envelope stuffing (Why would any company pay you $2 to stuff an envelope when a machine can do it for $.02 apiece?) Assembly/crafting (Your work will always be judged "sub-standard" and you will receive no payment. Money processing (or as the federal government likes to call it: money laundering)

Here are some good tips to keep in mind when considering work at home opportunities.

Know who you’re dealing with . Get references for other people who are doing the work .

Don’t believe that you can make big profits easily. Get all the details before you pay . Find out if there is really a market for your work.

A final story of caution: Kathryn thought she had finally found work when she answered an online classified ad last fall for an overseas firm. Instead, within weeks of her hiring, she was arrested at her local bank, charged with a felony, and is currently facing an August trial date in a Texas court. Kathryn now says she was tricked into helping an international fraud ring to move stolen money out of the country.

Kathryn thought she had finally found work when she answered an online classified ad last fall for an overseas firm. Instead, within weeks of her hiring, she was arrested at her local bank, charged with a felony, and is currently facing an August trial date in a Texas court. Kathryn now says she was tricked into helping an international fraud ring to move stolen money out of the country.

Exercise extreme caution when pursuing work at home opportunities and remember, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. If you have any questions or would like to check out a potential employer, contact the BBB. www.evansville.bbb.org [email_address] 812-473-0202 or 800-359-0979