Data entry sounds like the simplest work-from-home job: type information from one place into another, accurately and quickly. Legitimate data entry work does exist, on freelance platforms, through staffing agencies, and inside companies that outsource digitisation. But the field is also crowded with scams, because the promise of easy typing work attracts beginners, and scammers know it.

The difference between a real data entry job and a trap is usually visible before you start, if you know what to look for. This guide covers both: where real work lives, and how to spot the fakes fast.