People are using popular job search websites to gain access to personal information such as names, dates of birth and social security numbers from those who think they're applying for jobs. These scam artists will post fake job openings to grab the attention of those searching the websites for work. Then they ask for all sorts of personal info to help in applying for the fake job. With that info, they can then apply for credit cards and other things in the unsuspecting applicants name.
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is working harder than ever to catch the people responsible for these and other scams. One case the FTC filed was against a bogus company called Job Safety. Their ads were aimed at people seeking work in maintenance and cleaning. They said that for $98, applicants could get a "certificate registration number" and that Job Safety would help them find a job. There were no jobs and the company was fake.
There are many more scams out there and job hunters need to be alert when searching. The article list many "red flags" to look for when searching for a job online.
- Legitimate companies won't use an email account with a domain like Hotmail, Yahoo, or Gmail. They will use a company email address.
- NO company has any reason to ask for bank account or credit card info just to apply for a job.
- Many scams will try to make you think you have to pay to receive unemployment benefits. This is not true.
It really doesn't surprise me that there are people who would do things like this. It's sad that people have gone so far as to prey on those who are desperately looking for a means to make a living. Sad, but not unbelievable.
As I was reading this article, I just got more and more irritated at the people responsible for these scams. It's frustrating that someone can put so much time and energy into coming up with these ideas. That time could be better spent working at a real job.
This might sound strange but I was also a little annoyed that so many people are falling for these scams. Some scam artists are very good, but most of them really aren't that great. They are too concerned with making a quick profit to spend too much time and money on the scam. Some of these bogus claims are really pretty easy to see right through. This is an example from the article:
Jay Foley, executive director of the Identity Theft Resource Center, is working with a man who took what he thought was a job as a mystery shopper for Western Union. After answering an ad on Craigslist, he received a $3,500 check, which he deposited into his bank account. He then went to Western Union to wire the money and observe the quality of customer service. The man was cautious — he waited for the check to clear first. Only later did he find out that while the check was written on a real account, it wasn't authorized. The company eventually voided the transaction, leaving the man responsible for the $3,500 he'd wired.
This man and his bank frustrate the heck out of me. He should have known better than to take something he found on craigslist.com at face value. He should have taken the time to research the company or contact the Better Business Bureau or the FTC. If it's legitimate, it's worth going the extra few steps to make sure.
His bank is partly at fault though. Bank employees are trained in fraud and security and should be able to recognize this "secret shopper" scam right away. They are one of the most commonly used scams and are pretty hard to miss. It's the bank's responsibility to protect and educate their customers. If a teller at the bank where I work let one of these checks through, they'd likely lose their job. The bank is out that money just like the customer.
I wish that stuff like this didn't go on, but the truth is that it does. We have to be much more cautious and hesitant than ever now. There are scam artists and people waiting to trick you out of a few dollars all over the place these days. The internet has only made this easier.
While I do think it's great that the FTC and other organizations are making such an effort to combat these scams, I'm not sure that it will ever be enough. People are creative when they need to make some money and there will always be new scams out there. We just have to be more and more careful all the time.
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