SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- As many people look to make money online during a tough economy, the Better Business Bureau is sending out a warning about work-at-home online fraud.

Work-at-home online fraud made up 3 percent of all Internet fraud cases in 2000, and some BBB officials think that number will sky rocket.

"We are seeing more of them, and we are seeing more of them getting a response, because more folks are looking for them," said Barry Goggin, of the Better Business Bureau.

Lois Byrd, meanwhile, said she turned to working online when she started to feel the economic pinch.

Since the summer, Byrd said her day care business has gone down 50 percent and she turned to a work-at-home online site to make up the money.

Byrd said she is now making several thousand dollars a month.

Despite the success stories, the BBB has some suggestions to avoid work-at-home online scams:

Don't pay any fees upfront.
Stay away from Internet ads that offer huge salaries with little experience.
Know exactly what services are being offered.

Byrd said she followed the following tips before diving into the online work field.

"I've done a lot of research by talking to other moms that did it," she said.

Reported by: Damany Lewis
Web produced by: Shawn Brouwer