Beware of holiday jobs that won’t pay the bills.
The National Consumers League is warning consumers about work-at-home scams this holiday season.
The NCL reports in the three months immediately following the 2015 holiday season it saw nearly a 17 percent spike in complaints about work-at-home scams.
“This type of scam lures consumers with promises of flexible schedules and extra income but in reality they only exist to steal unsuspecting victims’ time and money,” NCL wrote in a post.
It said common work-at-home scams include the reshipment scam, the envelope stuffing scam, and the medical billing scam among others.
The Federal Trade Commission advises if you’re thinking about following up on a work-at-home offer, do your homework.
- What tasks will I have to perform? Are any other steps involved?
- Will I be paid a salary, or will I be paid on commission?
- What is the basis for your claims about my likely earnings?
- Do you survey everyone who purchased the program?
- What documents can you show me to prove your claims are true before I give you any money? Note: If a seller makes a claim about how much money a person can earn, the seller also has to give you an earnings claim statement with more specifics.
- Who will pay me?
- When will I get my first paycheck?
- What is the total cost of this work-at-home program, including supplies, equipment, and membership fees? What will I get for my money?
The NCL said consumers who have become a victim should file a complaint here.
