The internet has opened up a floodgate of money-making opportunities. These avenues have helped millions of people to make a big buck on the side. But they often require people to invest time, energy, and some skills to reap genuine results. On the flip side, there are several online hacks that promise income but have proven to be fraudulent. To avoid getting exploited or duped, it’s best to be cautious of these scams:

Pyramid marketing schemes
A pyramid marketing scheme basically asks individuals to join a program and recruit their friends and family to earn a commission through their investments or purchases. One should be cautious of any scheme that requires people to hire new members to make a profit.

Work-from-home scams
While many recognized companies offer work-from-home job opportunities, not all those who reach out can be trustworthy. Any pop-up ad or unsolicited messages on social media or email that promise such an opportunity should be avoided. Those who apply to these opportunities and get an interview call should be cautious if the company refuses to delve into details about their operations and location and mandates sharing information like driver’s license or bank account details first. Similarly, avoid any requests to pay money for remote work opportunities or “training” sessions.

Influencer scam
Recently, there has been an emergence of influencer scams. A scammer posing as a talent management company claims to be affiliated with a recognizable brand and offers to get the influencer a collaboration deal and free products for review. Some red flags that show it might be a scam include demands to reveal one’s personal and financial information for making “payments,” lack of information about the company online, or insistence on signing an online contract without proper dialogue.

Data entry scams
Data entry is one of the simpler tasks that require fewer skills, can fetch quick money, and can be easily done remotely. This has made data entry scams more rampant, since many people get attracted to such opportunities. One way to single out a genuine job posting from scams is to check the wages and the job demands. Any company that demands an outlay of funds and offers to pay extravagant wages that do not match the job profile should be met with caution.