You will rarely get a check. The vast majority of companies pay you through PayPal. A bunch do some sort of direct deposit. A handful will pay you with some sort of other payment card. I'm not sure if any pay by check. Most jobs pay in the neighborhood of $20.
Common Scam Scenarios:
* You are sent a large check unsolicited. Then, asked to purchase gift cards and send the codes in. The check is bad and will bounce several weeks after you deposit it - even after the funds are made available. Do NOT deposit or cash such a check. It is ***always*** a scam.
* You are asked to send of money for a list of shopping opportunities. You do NOT need to pay somebody for the right to shop.
The best way to avoid a scam is to NEVER send money anywhere and to only accept shops off a job board from an MSC on a vetted list (linked at the bottom of this page). There are over 200 legitimate companies that will offer shops.
Hard work builds character and homework is good for your soul.