You've been asked before to choose between your partner and your video games--and you've chosen video games at least once. As you're flipping through the paper between marathon gaming sessions, you come across an ad from companies looking for new game testers.

That means you get to do what you love, and get paid for it. And unbelievable pay, too: the ads promise the tester between $70-$150/ hour.

You also get to try out games before they are even released--talk about a nerd's dream come true! All you need to do is fork over a one-time fee and you'll be gaming for a living--or so you think. When they never call you after you mail in your fee, you know you've been duped.

How to avoid: yes, it's true there are companies out there who do have the budget for this. But the pay will be minimal, usually $9 or $10/hour. It also helps to do a bit of research on the company so you know whether it's a dream come true, or just a dream.