6 Red Flags to avoid work-at-home scams

Working from home comes with a multitude of benefits – from saving time on your daily commute to improving your work-life balance. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, remote working is much more prominent, and there is more availability than ever before. Unfortunately, this means scammers are also out there, capitalizing on the urgent need for employment.

Here are some common red flags to watch out for:

1. The recruitment and interviewing process is unconventional

Is someone recruiting you on social media and directing you to a messaging app to interview (like Telegram or Facebook messenger), instead of providing the website to apply? Tread carefully before giving away your personal information.

Tip: Do your research
It’s a good rule of thumb to research any company before applying. Look at their website to learn about their history, their culture and their listed opportunities. How would you apply for a job on their website, and how does it compare to the person recruiting you? Explore their social media profiles – new pages with just a few followers could be a sign of a fake account. 

If you’re skeptical about their hiring process (like an easy interview on telegram at 1am), contact a different person at the company to confirm your suspicion.

2. The company sends you money before you complete work, and/or requests you to send money back

Tip: Don’t exchange money before doing any work 
This is a common trap. Scammers may offer to send you a check to deposit immediately, then ask you to wire funds back to them. By the time the original check bounces, the scammer is already in the wind with your money.

3. They ask for personal account information or passwords over unsecured platforms (like social media)

Tip: Guard your personal information
Never give out your passwords. Do not give administrative access to any of your accounts. Do not share your bank account information with anyone, especially over email, social media, or messaging apps. 

4. They promise a large salary for seemingly little work

Tip: Sounds too good to be true? It probably is.
Job offers that promise large salaries for little effort, or outrageous starting bonuses may be worthy of suspicion. Also be cautious around people that hire you on the spot without asking you to complete an application, or asking for your work history. 

5. The contact info has a typo in it or they aren’t using a company email address

Tip: Watch out for inconsistencies
Legitimate businesses typically use company email addresses (example: name@liveops.com). Watch out for addresses that look professional but have typos in them (example: name@liveooops.com is not legitimate). 

6. Something just doesn’t seem right

Tip: When in doubt, reach out! Trust your intuition.
If you question the authenticity of a company and they share personal information about themselves to validate their position (like their own social security card, driver’s license or company badge), tread carefully. If something feels a little off, take the time to investigate the company. Reach out to the company on their website or social channels. They can let you know if the person you are speaking to works with the company, or if the application link you received is the correct one. 

Liveops has been offering remote opportunities to agents for more than 20 years. If you are looking for work-at-home opportunities with Liveops, learn more at join-liveops-com.liveops.com.

Learn more tips and best practices about avoiding work-at-home scams here.