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In your quest to find legitimate work-from-home jobs, you are more than likely going to run across a scam or two. When you know how to properly research and vet opportunities, you are less likely to be taken by one of these scoundrels. Here are a few signs that will give you some insight into the legitimacy of an opportunity.
Also See: 20 Work at Home Companies With an A+ BBB Rating
How to Tell if a Remote Job Is Legitimate
1. There is Positive Feedback in WAH Communities

Research is going to be a lifesaver when it comes to finding a work-at-home job. Luckily, we have an endless amount of free information available to us on the internet. And thousands of people who have shared their experiences openly.
Some of my favorite places to find feedback – good or bad – on a potential job are blogs like mine, the Better Business Bureau, and Glassdoor. One thing to remember: unhappy people are more likely to leave reviews than happy people. Pay close attention to what any feedback is saying. If the dissatisfaction was due to a scheduling conflict, that’s not necessarily a reason for you to pass up a remote job listing. The schedule may be perfect for you. If it was a problem with a supervisor, keep in mind most of these companies have dozens and dozens of supervisors. What’s the likelihood you will get the same one? Some people are just impossible to please. Read reviews but take them with a grain of salt.
And be cognizant of looking for any excuse not to apply for a job. If you are new to this process it can be easier to simply not move forward than to face uncertainty. If you want to work from home, you are going to have to make the jump eventually. And sooner is better than later.
2. They are Transparent about Pay
Many companies do not make their pay structure available until after getting a contract, but most will at least give you a ballpark figure on what kind of pay you can expect and how you will be paid. Will it be weekly or biweekly? Will you be paid by direct deposit or PayPal? If things appear a little too elusive, that may be a red flag.
3. They are Transparent about the Hiring Process
One thing that should never be a mystery is the hiring process. Will you need to pass a test? Will you need to provide work samples? There are a few work-at-home opportunities that have a very extensive hiring procedure that can drag on for weeks or even months. Without that knowledge upfront, you are likely to drop out long before receiving an offer. And in the case of a scam, you may find out too late that the testing you participated in for free was only a means to get work done for free.
4. They are Transparent About the Work
One big sign of a scam is when you have no idea what you will be doing to get paid. Under no circumstances should you have to go through an application or training process before receiving information on the scope of work. It’s often a ruse to get you into a position where you can’t say “no.” And that does not usually involve money.
5. They are Transparent about Who They Are
Whenever I come across a new website, the first thing I do is look for an address, phone number, and email address. The next thing I look for is social media accounts. You must know who’s paying you. And you should double-check that information by performing a Google search, WhoIs lookup, and BBB search. Some companies have multiple locations, but there should be a location listed.
6. It Should Pass the Smell Test
You know the adage, “If it’s too good to be true, it probably is.” If a job is promising big pay with little to no work, it’s highly unlikely. If those opportunities existed, wouldn’t we all be rich?
In addition to paying that outweighs the complexity of the work that’s involved, a big red flag is unsolicited work offers. If an email arrives from a company you have never heard of for a job you never applied to run. The number of people looking for work at home far outweighs the number of jobs available. There is no need for a company to reach out to people who haven’t expressed interest to offer them a job. How would they have gotten your information anyway?
Also, a few big scammers are running around right now offering people interviews by chat. This could be Facebook Messenger. It may be a Skype chat. This is a red flag. In many cases, I have heard these are high-pressure situations where the “interviewer” is offering an amazing job but you need to hand over your personal information NOW. Or, you need to pay some kind of fee NOW. Get out of there fast!
Also See: Top Ways To Spot Work-at-Home Scams
So, Where are the Legitimate Work-at-Home Jobs?
Below are some legit home based jobs:
1. Customer Service
These jobs will have you helping customers and clients via phone, chat, or email. Typically, hard-wired internet service is required (no satellite or wi-fi). You may also need a noise-canceling headset. These work-from-home jobs typically pay in the range of $8 to $15 per hour.
Alorica offers work-from-home customer service opportunities. Workers can set their own schedules and hours, allowing great flexibility. Alorica provides full-paid training that will help you feel confident and prepared to work from home. You must have a PC, headset, and high-speed internet connection (no WiFi). Medical and dental benefits are provided. Payment is issued bi-weekly through direct deposit.
Enterprise hires at-home workers for customer service positions. Responsibilities in this position include handling customer needs on the phone, online chat, and email. Enterprise currently hires remote workers in 12 states around the US, including Arizona, Florida, Idaho, Michigan, Missouri, New Mexico, Nevada, Ohio, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas, and Utah. Remote workers must have a PC, USB headset, and high-speed internet. Enterprise offers benefits such as medical, paid time off, and 401k.
Hilton employees and remote workers in the US have an opportunity to work in reservations and customer care. Paid training is provided to learn all the necessities of being a successful work-from-home customer service agent. Employees must have a computer, high-speed wired internet, and a quiet home office. Pay starts at $11 per hour with monthly bonus opportunities. Hilton provides employees benefits such as medical, paid time off, 401k, and hotel discounts.
LiveOps has flexible work-from-home opportunities as a customer service representative. As an independent contractor, you will be in charge of your schedule and workspace. Some agents work a few hours per week, while some work full-time. Agents will handle customer calls regarding tech support, accounting, and scheduling. Workers must have a computer, corded telephone, high-speed wired internet, and a headset.
Uhaul provides North American residents with remote work as a reservation agent. Uhaul provides paid employee training and employees may be eligible for benefits such as medical, dental, and 401k. Previous call center experience is preferred and a high school diploma or equivalent is required. Employees must have a quiet workspace, high-speed internet, and a typing speed of at least 25 words per minute.
VIPdesk provides customer care jobs to US residents located in Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, North Carolina, New Jersey, New Mexico, Nevada, Ohio, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, and Wisconsin. Once hired employees will go through 2-3 weeks of paid training. VIPdesk offers both part-time and full-time positions. Different positions are offered through VIPdesk such as customer service and social media management. Employee benefits like paid time off and medical care are offered.
Working Solutions is hiring independent contractors for customer care positions. This position allows you to be your boss and create your schedule. Applicants must have high-speed internet, a landline phone connection, and an up-to-date computer. The company outsources customer service agents to different industries such as retail, travel, financial, and healthcare so you can find an area that interests you!
2. Tech Support
Stay-at-home jobs offering tech support often require some prior experience or education. These do tend to pay a little higher than standard customer service positions, however.
KellyConnect offers at-home call center and customer support representative work. This job consists of helping customers who want to get the most out of their electronic devices such as tablets and computers. Applicants must have a home office space, a computer, strong communication skills, and high school education. Pay is issued weekly and there are opportunities for growth and advancement within the company.
TTEC@home hires self-motivated people across the US and Canada as customer care representatives. Workers assist customers with a variety of customer service and technical needs. You will assist customers over the phone, social media, and live chat. Work can be done completely from home, all you need is high-speed internet access and a home phone. Training and mentoring are offered to workers throughout their time at TTEC.
Xerox has at-home work positions available for a wide variety of roles. Data entry, customer support, and technical support are just a few of the potential jobs available with Xerox that can be done completely from home. Paid job training and mentoring are provided. Some job opportunities with Xerox require you to attend training in a specific US city, which then leads to working from home.
3. Healthcare Jobs
To the surprise of many, there are quite a few legit work-from-home healthcare jobs. Positions range from phone triage to technical writing and medical billing to transcription. And these are companies you are likely familiar with. These can also be online jobs that pay well and often offer employee benefits.
Experienced medical workers and medical administrators can find a wide variety of at-home work with Blue Cross Blue Shield. Applicants must be legal to work in the US and have the appropriate equipment for a work-from-home job such as a computer, high speed internet, and phone line. Some positions may involve travel and occasional commuting.
Humana offers experienced healthcare professionals and workers with medical office skills remote positions. Humana hires full-time employees so they can enjoy benefits such as medical care, paid time off, and 401k. Some positions require telecommunicating but positions such as data entry can be done completely remotely.
United Health Group seeks employees for a wide variety of medical-related jobs, which can be done remotely. United Health Group serves all 50 US states so there are opportunities all around the country for US citizens. Eligible Employees will enjoy benefits such as medical care, paid vacation, and 401k.
4. Education Jobs
Jobs from home in the education sector run the gamut. Some may require a formal teaching degree and current certificate, others simply want a bachelor’s degree in any subject as is the case with many English tutoring jobs and test scoring.
Measurement Inc. hires US independent contractors to grade tests from home. Workers will have the benefits of a flexible schedule and the ability to choose their own projects. Most grading hours are available Monday through Friday. Applicants must have a bachelor’s degree and be legally able to work in the US. Projects vary in length and pay.
Achieve Test Prep hires full-time employees for at-home educational jobs. Different remote positions are available and full-time employees can enjoy benefits such as paid time off, health insurance, and on-the-job training. Achieve Test prep also has opportunities for freelance and part-time work. Employees must have a home office, computer, and high-speed internet connection.
Qkids is a Chinese-based educational company hiring North American citizens to teach English from home. Qkids allows you to create your own flexible schedule, working as much or as little as you want. Workers for this company can work anywhere in the world as long as they have high-speed internet and quiet working space. A bachelor’s degree and TEFL certification are necessary for Qkids teachers. Pay ranges from $14-22 per hour and is paid monthly via direct deposit.
Magic Ears hires independent contractors as English teachers! Teachers will provide fun and educational lessons to 1-4 students aged 4-12. Magic Ears provides all lesson material, all you need to do is add your own personal teaching style. Pay ranges from $22-26 per hour. Applicants must have a bachelor’s degree and Canadian or American citizenship. Technical equipment required includes a computer and high-speed internet.
5. Search Engine Evaluation
The online jobs in the search engine evaluation industry will have you doing quality assurance checks for search engines like Google or Bing. You will be checking search, ad or social media results for quality and relevancy. Many of my readers enjoy the work and flexibility that comes with it.
Appen hires independent contractors from around the world for a variety of work-from-home positions. These positions include translations, social media evaluation, and data annotation. Different projects will have certain qualifications you must meet. The work is part-time and paid monthly. Being bilingual is a benefit, and workers must have computer and internet access.
Lionbridge seeks at-home workers for a variety of different computer positions. Interpreters, translators, and social media evaluators are just a few positions available. Work is part-time and payment can either be task-based or per hour. As a freelance employee, you can enjoy total flexibility in your schedule and choose your own work hours.
6. Virtual Assistant
Contracting as a virtual assistant is how I spent many years working from home. I started out doing general admin duties like light bookkeeping, answering phones, and data entry for personal clients and for “multi-VA” firms like those below.
BELAY is frequently looking for virtual assistants and bookkeepers. In their VA role, you may be helping clients manage their calendars, make travel arrangements, create spreadsheets, and more. A bachelor’s degree and prior work-at-home experience are preferred. You also need to be available at least 20 hours per week during normal business hours. This is currently a 1099 role.
Boldly’s VA needs typically include executive assistants, marketing assistants, project managers, and paralegals. For the executive assistant role, you will need a minimum of 7 years of administrative experience. This is an employee position available to residents of 23 states at this time.
Maybe the above two opportunities don’t match your skills or availability. Fancy Hands is a lot more flexible. Bear in mind, the pay and project availability will likely reflect that. Fewer requirements often equate to less pay in the work-at-home world. But, it’s flexible and it’s a way to get some remote experience under your belt.
Also See: How to Become a Virtual Assistant (Even If You Have No Training)
7. Transcription
Transcription is often a suitable alternative to those looking for straight typing jobs, of which there are not many. Transcription is much more plentiful and there are several companies that are open to beginners. In this role, you are listening to an audio file and typing out what the parties are saying. This will allow you to test the waters before moving into positions with better-paying companies or starting your own transcription business.
Rev.com contracts remote transcribers and captioners. They pay weekly by PayPal. This company is open to newcomers as long as you can pass their typing and grammar tests. According to the company, the average Rev contractor earns around $250 per month. It doesn’t pay a lot, but it’s really flexible and doesn’t require a big commitment.
3Play Media is looking for those who can not only transcribe audio files but also edit files completed by others. To be considered as a candidate, you need to type a minimum of 75 wpm and have excellent grammar and punctuation. 3Play Media pays by the project is completed and claims the pay is equivalent to $10 to $30 per hour, depending on your efficiency.
TranscribeMe claims to offer better rates than those companies mentioned above. Currently, the website says hourly earnings average $15 to $22 per hour based on efficiency. They also say top contractors are earning around $2,200 per month. (The average monthly earnings are $250.) TranscribeMe’s files are only 1-2 minutes in length. Pop in and pick up work when you have time. Pay is by PayPal.
8. Travel
If exotic locations and planning trips are your passion, there are plenty of travel-related jobs available remotely as well.
Ovation frequently has travel-related careers open at this time of year. Some are temporary. Some are long-term. Experience is required.
World Travel Holdings is one of the few companies that provides equipment to remote workers. You do have to pay that money back, but it is spread out over your first five paychecks. Keep your eye on their website for openings.
If you are an experienced traveler and sales agent, AirTreks may be for you. Currently, they guarantee remote travel agents $2,500 per month in base pay plus commission. Leads are provided. To qualify, you must have GDS booking experience and have traveled to at least 5 countries. You can choose whether you want to be an employee or an independent contractor.
9. Surveys
There are so many ways you can take surveys for money. Granted, these are not going to pay the bills. Many people enjoy them nonetheless. Many are a little sketchy and certainly a waste of your time. A few I know and trust.
FlexJobs is my favorite job board for finding legit work-at-home jobs. They research every job listing on their site for legitimacy and flexible potential. You can apply with confidence. It’s a paid job board, but it’s so inexpensive. And, they offer a money-back guarantee. If you aren’t happy, you can get a refund.
Make Your Own Legit Work-at-Home Job
There are also some great ways to make money from home by creating your own job. In these positions, you are offering your skills to online businesses directly as opposed to going through a middleman like those positions above. This is often called freelancing.
Freelancing allows you to command a much larger hourly rate and you can dictate your schedule and working hours. Some of these can be really high-paying jobs! It’s a little more stressful than working for someone else in many cases, but it can also be well worth it!
Freelance Writing
Freelance writing may have you doing any kind of writing from blog posts to ebooks to online ads. It all depends on your area of expertise. Regardless, you need great research and grammar skills.
Glassdoor provides a recent median salary of around $53,000 per year for a full-time writer. I would say that’s in line with many freelance writers I know.
Resources
- Freelance Writing Jobs for Beginners
- Where to Find Writing Jobs
- 200 Ways to Get Paid to Write
- 30 Days or Less to Freelance Writing Success
Proofreading
Proofreading is often a step up from freelance writing. You need the same grammar and English skills but on a much more meticulous level. You don’t have an editor looking over your work here. You are the editor!
Glassdoor gives us an average base salary of around $36,000 per year. Obviously, with any of these, your workload will largely determine your income possibilities. If you work full-time, you can make more than working part-time.
Resources
- Online Proofreading Jobs for Beginners
- How can I get an editing job from home?
- Free proofreading webinar
Social Media Management
Most freelance social media managers are self-taught. They also tend to specialize in one particular platform such as Facebook or Pinterest. While you certainly can be a Jill-of-all-platforms, specializing often allows you to charge a higher rate and more in-depth, high-performing services.
Glassdoor says the average base salary for a social media manager is $54,000.
Resources
Virtual Assistant
Virtual assistants can offer a wide range of skills, from basic admin to project management. Your hourly rate will largely be dictated by how advanced your skillset is. Luckily, most online business skills can be learned online!
Glassdoor provides us with an average base pay of $22,000 per year. I would say this is on the lower end. Virtual assistants offering more specialized skills can easily charge upwards of $40 per hour or more.
Resources
- Skills & Offerings for Entry-Level Virtual Assistants
- How to Become a Virtual Assistant
- Virtual Assistant Jobs
- In-demand Virtual Assistant Services
Transcription
Transcription is simply listening to an audio file and typing it into text. These can be great gigs for those with fast fingers and great grammar skills. It does require attention to detail, however, as most companies have strict guidelines that need to be followed.
Glassdoor has an average base salary of around $26,000 per year. It can really depend on the type of transcription you are doing. Entry-level transcribers are often not paid well and the pay is often production-based. That means the faster and more accurately you type, the more you get paid. Also, if you move into more specialized arenas like medical transcription or legal transcription, you may get paid more.
Resources
Blogging
Blogging isn’t an easy gig, but it’s one that I love. While many beginner bloggers never earn a dime, those with the perseverance and tenacity to stick with it can earn a nice income on their own terms. You can make money blogging through avenues like display ads, affiliate marketing, sponsored posts, creating courses and eBooks, and more.
Glassdoor has an average salary of $30,000. I’d venture to say those averages are based on people working for other bloggers which can be a great way to make money as a blogger, too!
Resources
- Affiliate Marketing Programs for Beginners
- Blogger Networks
- Make Money with Affiliate Marketing
- How to Make Money Blogging
- Create and Go’s Six-Figure Blogger Course
Those are just a few legitimate work-at-home jobs to consider. And even if choosing to go out on your own as discussed in the latter part of this article, you should still follow the guidelines for smelling out a scam mentioned in the beginning. There are a lot of unscrupulous people out there. Protect yourself.
Any work-at-home job opportunity, whether it arrives through email, a website, print publication, TV, postal mail or even a friend, may well be a work-at-home scam. By doing careful research before you send money, you can avoid work-at-home scams.
Also another sign, most legitimate companies have links to real contact information and sometimes their address and phone number at the bottom. In a work at home scam, often the only contact information is an email form or email address.