http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mf_6jeJiOPQ&rel=0
In today’s Scambook news, Kevan talks about the American economy, the unemployment rate and scammers who are taking advantage of you with fake job offers. He discusses how looking for work can be a job in itself these days, and how most job seekers go online to Craigslist, LinkedIn, Careerbuilder, Simplyhired and other websites to look for employment ads. On Craigslist, con artists create fraudulent listings for jobs that don’t exist, using keywords like recruitment, careers, partners and staffing. Sometimes, it can be difficult to distinguish between a real Help Wanted ad and a fake one. Scambook members have reported over 200 complaints against fake employment agencies called First Premier Staffing and Wellman Careers & Partners. Job seekers reply to these ads and receive an automated letter from a hiring assistant or a human resources staffer, who asks you to fill out an online application form that asks for your Social Security number or your credit card number. This happens before you even schedule the interview! Kevan recommends that you sift out the real job ads from the fake ones by asking questions and researching the company on Scambook.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the unemployment rate in the United States continues to hover around 8% despite signs that the economy is slowly recovering. Approximately 5.9 million people are considered long-term unemployed, meaning they have been jobless for 27 weeks or more. In other words, there’s a lot of competition for jobs. Previously, you could find employment by looking in the local newspaper or even walking into a business and handing your resume to the receptionist. Today, everything is done online. Even if you step into a nearby store, the manager will probably direct you to apply on their website.
Craigslist has become a very popular forum for employers to advertise job openings. But just like any other section of the classified ad website, you need to be on guard against con artists when you look for work on Craigslist. You can’t always tell the difference between a fake job ad and a real one, but here are some warning signs we’ve identified based on our members’ reports. Pay attention to the red flags and follow these tips to stay safe while you’re hunting for a new career.
1. Look for companies using the keywords “recruitment,” “careers,” “partners” and “staffing.” Although not all companies who use these keywords are fraudulent, Scambook members have identified a variety of fake employers who are rely on these terms to sound official, including First Premier Staffing and Wellman Careers & Partners.
2. Watch out for employment offers that seem too good to be true and Human Resource representatives who are too eager to hire you. If you hear back from a “staffing assistant” who praises your experience and job history, read their email very carefully to see if they actually mention anything about your past employment or your skills. Our members have reported that job scam messages are usually very vague, with some members suspecting that the replies they receive are completely automated. Be careful if they want to hire you without coming into the office or at least conducting a phone interview.
3. If a potential employer needs you to complete an online application that requires your Social Security Number, or they demand your credit card info to perform a background or credit check, don’t do it. A legitimate employer may need this private information eventually, but they’ll ask for it after you’ve been hired or attended a few rounds of interviews.
4. If you’re having trouble figuring out whether that dream job offer is real or not, ask some questions about the position. Get specific. If they’re a real employer, they’ll be impressed that you’ve taken the initiative to learn more about their company. If they’re bogus, they’ll answer your questions with vague answers that don’t make any sense, or they’ll dodge them entirely.
Of course, none of these methods are 100% fool-proof, so it’s also very important to look up the company or individual on Scambook. Trust your instincts, too. If that work-from-home job promises something that’s too good to be true, it probably is.
See Also
Work From Home Scam: Identity Thieves Promise Jobs with Google or Facebook to Steal Credit Card Info
Beware “Reshipping” Job Scam on Sites like Craigslist, LinkedIn and CareerBuilder
Don’t Get Scammed on Craigslist: 3 New Anti-Fraud Safety Tips
[…] DON’T FALL FOR JOB SCAMS. Be wary of “employers” who don’t require an interview and make sure to visit the job’s physical location prior to sending personal information such as a credit/background check. Any job that requires an upfront payment, involves “working from home” without detail, and job offers for secret shopping, international shipping management, foreign financial transfers, and survey-taking are almost always a scam. Learn more about job scams. […]
[…] DON’T FALL FOR JOB SCAMS. Be wary of “employers” who don’t require an interview and make sure to visit the job’s physical location prior to sending personal information such as a credit/background check. Learn more about job scams. […]
I don’t know whether it’s just me or if perhaps everybody
else experiencing problems with your website. It looks like some of the written text
in your posts are running off the screen. Can somebody else please provide feedback and let me know if this is
happening to them as well? This could be a issue with my browser because I’ve had this happen before. Cheers
my website; Jude
Thank you for helping spread a word of caution about these types of companies!
For more information about Online Fraud, or to report a job on our site or email you received, we do offer a Fraud Page for Jobseekers:
http://www.careerbuilder.com/JobSeeker/Info/Fraud.aspx
Thank you.
CareerBuilder’s Trust and Site Security Team
@CBSiteSecurity
There was a news story a while back involving the construction of a massive transportation project where someone posing as a hiring manager contacted construction workers hoping to get hired, gathered their personal and financial information, and collected money to cover union dues and process their background checks. He may have met with his victims in person to collect their fee. I guess it pays to do your homework on the company you apply to and it wouldn’t hurt to call the office to confirm that you have an appointment with one of their employees.
Hi, Please do a post on “Sally Rhode’s Stay at Home Work”, which advertises it is backed by CNN, NBC,etc. Recently, i recieved an e-mail from a family member,(who never really sent it), sending me to this site. I clicked on the site to check it out. Next thing i knew i got an e-mai from DOBA saying they could not access my credit card and to send the correct information. YEAH RIGHT!!! Like i’m that dumb. Anyway, there ARE some unfortunate people that will fall for this scam. PLEASE WARN THEM, times are tough for everyone.
I recived this e-mail from a close freind, looked it up on your site& fiybd it was a scam. I sent a letter to stop her from losing money. She replayed she never sent it.
—– Forwarded Message —-
From: [PERSONAL INFORMATION REMOVED]
To: [PERSONAL INFORMATION REMOVED]
Sent: Sat, September 29, 2012 11:14:27 AM
Subject: Re: hey
.
This is a good sute to check Cus, out
hxxp://ww0.business7newsbe.net/work/?finance=66079
Home Revenue System
Complaint 157429 Details
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