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Scammers target job seekers with false opportunities
YOUNGSTOWN
Scammers are often thought of as predators, skulking around, waiting to pounce on unsuspecting prey. In reality, they’re far more similar to scavengers as bottom- feeding opportunists waiting to pick the bones of something that can’t fight back.
That’s why they target vulnerable populations: the elderly, the uninitiated, the desperate.
According to the Better Business Bureau, job scammers will post bogus career opportunities online, often advertising “too good to be true” jobs that promise simple work for good pay. The jobs often boast that they can be done from home – a tactic to draw in the elderly, the invalid and stay-at-home parents – and require little more physical effort than stuffing envelopes or filling out surveys.
In many instances, scammers will even use the name or logo of an already established company to make their offers seem more legitimate.
Once a victim has taken the bait and applied for the job, the scammers set up an interview, usually using Google Hangouts or another similar internet call or video service. During the interview, the scammers will seek out a victim’s sensitive personal information, such as their Social Security or bank account numbers. In some scams the victim will even be prompted to purchase “starter kits” for the job or send a check to cash for the purposes of covering their office supplies.
Naturally, the money a victim sends is lost and the check is fake, leaving the job hunter poorer and – in the case of cashing a fake check – at risk of being charged with check fraud.
Melissa Ames, vice president of BBB Services, said the scams aren’t new, but they are always changing.
“The job scams have been around for awhile, the means of communication is changing but we have not seen an influx, but they’re always there. Oftentimes what we find is they’re looking to gain personal information or money. When we talk to victims of employment scams, they’re often asked to wire money or use a prepaid debit card,” Ames said. “Our advice to consumers is that they should never have to pay for a job in advance, and they can use the BBB as a resource to research potential employers.”
Ames said the BBB actually tracks scams and keeps a running list of complaints on its website.
One victim of an employment scam reported Friday that he lost $2,250 to a company called “Actionable Intelligence Delivery.”
“Avoid Actionable Intelligence Delivery at all costs. They are not a real company and will give you a fraudulent check to deposit and make purchases against,” the poster said.
The Federal Trade Commission lists several red flags that job seekers should watch out for during their searches.
If a company asks you to pay any money to get the job, that should be an immediate red flag, as most companies that require up-front investments – such as uniform or equipment purchases – will take those costs out of an employees first paycheck, not require an initial cash investment.
The FTC also warns that if a prospective employer asks for your credit card or bank account information to be extremely cautious. Though companies often need an employee’s bank account information for the purposes of direct deposit, it’s important for job seekers to be sure the job is legitimate before they agree to turn over that information.
In the event that people do fall victim to a scam, they should report it with the BBB, the FTC, and they can contact the Ohio attorney general as well.