Don’t be scammed by work from home schemes

Be part of one of America’s Fastest Growing Industries.
Be the Boss!
Earn thousands of dollars a month from home!

Ads like this are everywhere — from the telephone pole on the corner to your newspaper, email and favorite websites. The jobs might be different, but the message is the same — start earning a great living today working from home, even in your spare time.

When money’s tight, work-at-home opportunities can sound like just the thing to make ends meet. Some even promise a refund if you don’t succeed. But the reality is many of these jobs are scams. The con artists peddling them may get you to pay for starter kits or certifications that are useless, and may even charge your credit card without permission.

Others just don’t deliver on their promises. The ads don’t tell you that you may have to work a lot of hours without pay, or they don’t disclose all the costs you might incur — say, for placing newspaper ads, making photocopies, or buying the envelopes, paper, stamps and other supplies you need to do the job. People tricked by these ads have lost thousands of dollars, not to mention time and energy.

Where to Complain

If you have spent money and time on a work-at-home program and now believe the program may not be legitimate, contact the company and ask for a refund. Let company representatives know that you plan to notify law enforcement officials about your experience. If you can’t resolve the dispute with the company, file a complaint with these organizations:

• The Federal Trade Commission at ftc.gov/complaint or 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357).
• The Attorney General’s office in your state or the state where the company is located. Visit naag.org; the office will be able to tell you whether you’re protected by any state law that may regulate work-at-home programs.
• Your local consumer protection offices.
• Your local Better Business Bureau at bbb.org.
• Your local postmaster. The U.S. Postal Service investigates fraudulent mail practices. Visit postalinspectors.uspis.gov.
• The advertising manager of the publication that ran the ad. The manager may be interested to learn about the problems you’ve had with the company.

For More Information

The FTC works to prevent fraudulent, deceptive and unfair business practices in the marketplace and to provide information to help consumers spot, stop and avoid them. To file a complaint or get free information on consumer issues, visit ftc.gov or call toll-free, 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357); TTY: 1-866-653-4261. Watch a new video, How to File a Complaint, at ftc.gov/video to learn more. The FTC enters consumer complaints into the Consumer Sentinel Network, a secure online database and investigative tool used by hundreds of civil and criminal law enforcement agencies in the U.S. and abroad.