Easy money? Not so fast! The truth about online copy and paste jobs


If you’re like me, you’ve probably seen ads on Facebook or LinkedIn promising to make you thousands of dollars doing just one hour of work each day – all from the comfort of your own home! While I’d love to believe that this is true, the reality can be very different...and not necessarily in the way you might think. When you read the fine print and look into some of these companies, you might be surprised at what they really want you to do! And it’s NOT just copy and paste!


What are online jobs

A lot of websites want you to believe that there’s big money in copying and pasting online. They tell you that it’s an easy way to make a living from home, or an easy way to pay for your next vacation. They make it sound super simple: Just click a few buttons, grab some cash, and get on with your life. But it isn’t quite that simple – in fact, it can be pretty tricky. Before signing up for any website promising to send work your way without much effort on your part, here are 5 things you should know. 

1. Most companies aren’t honest about what kind of job they have available. They won’t tell you until after you sign up that their easy jobs don't really exist - instead, all they have is rote data entry tasks (like entering product information from their catalog into web forms) that take time and effort but aren't particularly fun or lucrative. Some even charge you to join before getting started; others keep taking fees until they notice your account is inactive and reactivate it again by charging a higher fee than when they first began sending work your way!

2. You're basically working as an independent contractor - often times not even as one!


Legitimate Work vs. Scams

There are plenty of legit sites that offer opportunities to earn money by posting on forums, as a freelancer or transcribing audio/video files. However, there are also many scammy sites that want you to pay them up front. It’s important to be aware of these red flags because such work-at-home scams can drain your bank account without earning you a penny. So how do you spot these scams? Check out our post How to Tell If a Work at Home Opportunity is Legit for some tips. And don’t forget, if something seems too good to be true (like making $100 per day with no experience necessary) it probably is!


Full-Time Jobs vs. Part-Time Income

That's what I want you to think of when considering whether or not to take a freelance or online job. Full-time means you're looking for stability, consistency, a solid paycheck, and benefits. Part-time income can give you all of those things plus extra time to pursue your passions. It all comes down to what kind of job it is and how much work you put into it—just make sure it doesn't harm your full-time goals. If you're interested in learning more about part-time opportunities, check out our list of freelance websites that pay weekly.

Copy paste online jobs without investment
Copy paste online jobs without investment

Should you quit your job to start an online business?

Before you make a rash decision, think it through—exactly as you would if you were quitting your job to take a new one. What are your prospects for earning an income from home? Can you afford to live off whatever you can make selling crafts, tutoring or other work? Will there be enough hours in your day to balance work and personal life commitments as well as family responsibilities? Can you deal with having all of your successes (and failures) on display for everyone in cyberspace to see? And remember that while there's no longer any need to show up at an office each day, nine-to-five or eight-to-four, that doesn't mean work is over when you go home.


Will these companies help me get a job?

Employment scams targeting job seekers are nothing new. But what is new is that scammers are now masquerading as legitimate work-from-home employers, luring desperate job seekers by advertising fake jobs to make ends meet. These companies entice applicants with offers of quick cash or lucrative careers working from home. However, they seldom deliver on their promises, leaving jobseekers high and dry with no alternative but to turn to employment agencies for help finding a real job. If you’re looking for a way to earn some extra cash, be sure to check out our list of legitimate side hustles you can start today.


Are these opportunities for real, do they really work?

There are a few different sites that offer what they call online opportunities but none of them are scams. So what exactly is going on here? Well, when you type in your information, you’re really signing up to work as a freelancer for companies that require Internet-based workers. In most cases these employers don’t have an office or actual office space; they just sell their product or service via website. As a freelancer, you’ll make money by completing simple tasks for these companies such as data entry, writing articles and filling out forms. Some clients may ask you to record audio files too—just like a virtual assistant would do. This means listening to short audio clips while typing out what is said word for word.


How does this whole thing work exactly?

When you get right down to it, there are a few ways that these sites make their money. First, they charge you to post your ad—if you want your ad to be on their home page (as most do), then expect to pay anywhere from $5-50+. Next, they make a little off of every person who clicks on one of your ads—typically around 50 cents per click. And finally, they get paid by advertisers whenever people click through from their ads. In other words: They don’t just make money from you...they also make it from advertisers (and sometimes both!). Every site works a little differently, but most rely on all three sources of revenue. How much can I earn?: It depends. Most sites say you can make hundreds or even thousands of dollars per month doing copy and paste jobs, but in reality, making any real income is nearly impossible with these types of sites. If you're lucky enough to get an advertiser willing to pay out big bucks for each time someone clicks on their ad, then maybe—but those types of advertisers are few and far between. Most advertisers only offer pennies for each click, which means if a lot of people click (which they usually don't) it'll take you forever to earn anything at all.