Consumer Alert: Work From Home Scams

Alia talks with the BBB about work from home scams and how to protect your money.

Alia talks with tim maniscalo, president and ceo of the better business bureau of central indiana.

Scammers are using this uncertain time in our lives as a way to cash in.

We are most vulnerable to scammers right now because: - we are alone (no one is with us to be our eyes and ears to scammers) - we are online (most scams come from e-mail, social media, etc.) - fear factor (the scariness of the unknown with the virus, our jobs, the economy, etc.) people working from home are also at risk to fall victim to scams. maniscalo says a common scam is a "notice" claiming to be from your employer.

The scammer claims you have a virus and is sending an it person to get into your device.

This allows the scammer to hold your device hostage... not releasing it back until money is received.

Mansicalo says the best advice is to contact your employer and do not hand over control of your device.

People who are unemployed, and looking for work, are also at risk: maniscalo says the unemployment scam has "exploded".

The scammer will offer you a lucrative "work from home" job... - they claim you need to go through training and pay for specific software - scammer will send check up front with extra money for "bonus".

- claims you need to send your own check for software - check will look real, but it will bounce..

Though offers sound great, bbb says they found little "work from home" schemes to be legit.

Alia talks with tim maniscalo, president and ceo of the better business bureau of central indiana.

Scammers are using this uncertain time in our lives as a way to cash in.

We are most vulnerable to scammers right now because: - we are alone (no one is with us to be our eyes and ears to scammers) - we are online (most scams come from e-mail, social media, etc.) -