The Federal Trade Commission has recently warned that scammers publish fake job listings and take money from unsuspecting applicants with the desire to make money quickly.
While these types of fake opportunities are not new, bad actors have become more creative and misleading over time. They are even taking advantage of the changing nature of work. As more Americans feel comfortable working from their living rooms and search for jobs remotelyscammers offer more opportunities to make money quickly from home.
“With companies now asking people to go back to work, this is a different angle that scammers use to get noticed. People worked from home and liked itso this is another way to hook someone up, announcing a job at home, “said John Dooney, an advisor to the Society for Human Resource Management.” It’s definitely an attraction. “
Fake job and money-making opportunities range from offers to sell luxury goods from home to fake check scams to government races.
“If you’re in the job market or looking for a business opportunity, scammers are looking for you,” the FTC warned in a recent statement. “They want your money and your personal information.”
Promises to sell from home
A common one, though fake income scam claims that it allows people to sell luxury items from home and make money fast.
In a series of revenue scams in 2020, the FTC determined that consumers lost more than $ 610 million in four years.
The FTC identified a company called Moda Latina that accused it of targeting Spanish-speaking consumers with false promises to make “big profits” from home by reselling products such as branded perfumes.
“It turned out to be a lie. The people who were engaged in it could not make money at all. If people received goods, they were not real luxury goods and if they tried to make money by selling them, they were not successful,” he said. An FTC spokesman told CBS MoneyWatch.
Are you paid to buy? Not too fast.
Some scammers advertise jobs for “mysterious shoppers” – secret shoppers hired to sponsor a business, such as a restaurant or retail store. For these possible jobs, buyers are asked to spend their own money and are told that they will be reimbursed for what they buy and will be paid an additional sum for their time and labor.
Although legitimate companies sometimes hire workers to provide feedback on the goods or services they sell, these companies never require workers to pay an upfront fee. Being asked to pay anything is a warning that a job offer is a scam, according to the FTC.
“Don’t pay to work, that’s a big red flag,” said Kati Daffan, the FTC’s deputy director of marketing practices. “If someone charges you in some way to work for them, even if they say the money is for certification or training or to secure a job for you, don’t do it.”
Fake job listings sometimes end up in job boards like Indeed.com. In fact, it also warns job seekers to never provide any form of payment to a potential employer they find on the site.
“Charging commissions is not only a violation of Index’s rules for businesses, but they are often a type of scam,” the company said in a statement to CBS MoneyWatch. Also, never pay for training.
Fake check scams
Another common trick is what the FTC calls a “fake check scam,” in which a scammer will tell an interviewee that they’ve hired him and that his first job is to receive a check and use it to buy a gift card or send it. money somewhere.
Initially, the funds will appear legitimate and appear in your account, but the banks will eventually determine that the check was fraudulent and you will be stuck.
“Banks must reflect a deposit within a certain period of time in your account, but it takes longer to find out it’s a fake check,” Daffan told the FTC.
How to avoid being a victim
- Do a quick search. Whenever you find an attractive opportunity, do a simple online search for the company or person announcing the job and include the words “scam,” “review,” or “complaint.” If the entity is not legitimate, other victims may have already publicly complained.
- Never pay to work. No legitimate employer will require a deposit or any payment or purchase to do a job. They pay you, not the other way around. Also, never transfer money as part of a mysterious shopping spree.
- Don’t push yourself to accept an offer. Be skeptical of anyone who pressures you to accept a job offer immediately. Take the time to review your job posting, research the company or person behind it, and first consult with trusted friends and family.
- Watch out for misspellings. Look for misspellings and grammatical errors in job postings; they can be a warning that a job offer is an invented scam.
- Finally, report the scams to the FTC when you view them at reportfraud.ftc.gov.
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