PORTLAND -- With new layoffs every day, more and more people are trying to work from home. And why not?

You get to take corporate calls in your pajamas, work on your laptop while kicking back on the couch, and keep an eye on the kids, all while earning a paycheck.

Bonnie Kurka started a career coaching a resume writing company called Executive Career Suite. She works from a back office in her Portland home. She said she loves the freedom and flexibility of working out of her house.

“If I want to take a day off I can,” Kurka said.

If you want to work from home, but don’t have the kind of expertise Kurka does, it’s okay. There are plenty of companies that offer work at home opportunities, such as Convergys, Arise, Alpine Access, Working Solutions, and Speak-Write. Most of them hire agents to do call center work from their own homes. You can apply online.

But beware! There are lot’s of scams that take advantage of people who want to earn a little extra cash from home.

According to the Better Business Bureau, there are easy ways to spot work at home scams. The BBB said, be suspicious of any ad that asks you to pay an up front fee. Many work at home scams make big money through expensive starter kits. Companies that call you, email you or send you mailings about opportunities are most likely bogus. Any offer that sounds too good to be true, probably is. Finally, if the company is not listed on the BBB website, don’t trust it.

Legitimate companies won’t ask you for money. Instead, they’ll ask you to meet certain job requirements, like high speed internet access in your home.