What is a work-from-home scam?

A work-from-home scam offers paid work or a home business, then takes fees or avoids paying you. Report Fraud describes worthless stock, invented faults and schemes that require recruiting others. 1

Genuine home working exists. The warning is an unverified arrangement that demands money or recruitment before payment. 1

By Secordit. Last checked: 7 November 2026.

Go to the steps · All glossary terms

How does it work?

  1. An advert offers home work or a ready-made online business. 1
  2. You pay for registration, stock or instructions. 1
  3. The organiser avoids paying or makes payment depend on recruiting others. 1

What Report Fraud describes

Report Fraud describes home workers assembling products, then being told their work has faults. Other schemes sell stock that has little value. 1

What are the warning signs?

  • You must buy instructions or customer leads before starting. 1
  • Payment depends on bringing other people into the scheme. 1
  • An organiser uses alleged faults to avoid paying for work. 1

What to do now

  1. Keep relevant adverts, emails and documents as evidence. 12
  2. Do not recruit others into a scheme you suspect is fraudulent. 1
  3. Tell your bank if you paid the organiser. 13

UK reporting and support

  • If you paid a suspected scam, contact your bank using the number on your card. 34
  • Report fraud in England, Wales or Northern Ireland to Report Fraud. In Scotland, call Police Scotland on 101. 45
  • If someone is in danger, call 999. 5
  • Forward suspicious emails to [email protected]. Forward suspicious texts to 7726. 6

How can you protect yourself?

  • Check a home-business offer before paying any fee. 1
  • Be wary of adverts that make the business sound effortless. 1

Frequently asked questions

Is every home-working job a scam?

No. Report Fraud’s warning concerns deceptive schemes, not home working itself. 1

What might the upfront payment cover?

Report Fraud lists registration, products, customer leads and instruction manuals. 1

What if payment depends on recruiting people?

Report Fraud identifies recruitment-dependent business schemes as pyramid schemes. Do not draw others into a suspected fraud. 1

Matching kit

After a Scam: What to Do First · £7 · Digital download.

A printable UK checklist for money, account and reporting steps. It is general information, not a recovery service.

General information, not legal, financial or personalised security advice. Secordit is not a police or bank reporting service.

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Sources

  1. Report Fraud, Work from home scams. Accessed 7 November 2026 (Europe/London).
  2. Report Fraud, Guide to reporting cyber crime & fraud. Accessed 7 November 2026 (Europe/London).
  3. Report Fraud, Ticket fraud. Accessed 7 November 2026 (Europe/London).
  4. Report Fraud, Police impersonation alert and reporting routes. Accessed 7 November 2026 (Europe/London).
  5. Police Scotland, How to report a crime. Accessed 7 November 2026 (Europe/London).
  6. GOV.UK, Avoid and report internet scams and phishing. Accessed 7 November 2026 (Europe/London).