submitted by M. Barry Pilla, Jr., Chief of Police, Northampton Township

Tough economic times are, unfortunately, boom times for scammers, as people desperate for money and jobs let down their guards and are more likely to pursue questionable financial opportunities that caution might ordinarily warn them away from. And as folks become more inured to monetary woes, their charitable inclinations are more easily exploited by scammers pretending to be persons in need of sympathetic helping hands.

Those searching for employment opportunities or looking to make some extra savings that will allow them to work from home are all too often the very people who can least afford to be defrauded. Although many folks dream about earning livable incomes from the comfort of their homes, some people are higher risk of work at home scams. People such as older adults, people with physical disabilities or parents committed to stay at home with young children may hunt for work-at-home opportunities because laboring in more traditional job settings is challenging.

Everyone’s seen them – seductive work-at-home opportunities hyped in flyers tacked to telephone poles, in newspaper classifieds, in your e-mail, and all over the Web, promising you hundreds or thousands of dollars a week for typing, stuffing envelopes, processing medical billing, etc. And it’s just a phone call or mouse click away.

Might be tempting during these uncertain economic times, but beware of any offers that promise easy money for minimum effort – many are scams that fill the coffers of criminals. 

Here are a few of the most common work-at-home scams.

*Advance-fee: Starting a home-based business is easy! Just invest a few hundred dollars in inventory, set-up, and training materials, they say. Of course, if and when the materials do come, they are totally worthless…and you’re stuck with the bill.

*Counterfeit check-facilitated “mystery shopper”:  You’re sent a hefty check and asked to deposit it into your bank account, then withdraw funds to shop and check out the service of local stores and wire transfer companies. You keep a small amount of the money for your “work,” but then, as instructed, mail or wire the rest to your “employer.” Sound good? One problem: the initial check was phony, and by the time your bank notifies you, your money is long gone and you’re on the hook for the counterfeit check.

*Pyramid schemes: You’re hired as a “distributor” and shell out big bucks for promotional materials and product inventories with little value (like get-rich quick pamphlets). You’re promised money for recruiting more distributors, so you talk friends and family into participating. The scheme grows exponentially but then falls apart-the only ones who make a profit are the criminals who started it.

*Unknowing involvement in criminal activity: Criminals-often located overseas-sometimes use unwitting victims to advance their operations, steal and launder money, and maintain anonymity. For example, they may “hire” you as a U.S.-based agent to receive and re-ship checks, merchandise, and solicitations to other potential victims…without you realizing it’s all a ruse that leaves no trail back to the crooks.

A few tips:

*Be suspicious when money is required up front for instructions or products.

*Don’t provide personal information when first interacting with your prospective employer.

*Do your own research into legitimate work-at-home opportunities, using the “Work-at-Home Sourcebook” and other resources that may be available at your local library.

*Ask lots of questions of potential employers – legitimate companies will have answers for you!

And if you think you’ve been the victim of a work-at-home scam, file a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission (http://www.ftc.gov/) or contact the toll-free helpline: 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357).