Job Hunting? Be Aware of These Scams

Scams that target job seekers are on the rise as people manage inflated living costs by pursuing higher- paying positions, side gigs, or post-retirement jobs. Unsurprisingly, an economic downturn is a scammer’s best friend because people are more vulnerable and willing to make risky decisions. That’s why staying on top of fraud safety is one of the most effective ways to keep your finances safe. Here are some popular job scams, how they work, and tips to spot them early on.

Fake Checks

SCAMMER’S GOAL: Get you to deposit a check from the alleged employer into your checking account and return some or all the money back to them, often in the form of cash, gift cards, or money orders.

THE SCAM: Scammers know that banks will make the funds available in your account within a couple of days, but sometimes, uncovering a fraudulent check takes longer. The scammer will typically tell you to keep some money for yourself as payment and cash or buy gift cards with the rest, all before the check bounces. Once the check bounces, you are left on the hook for repaying the check amount, plus any fees.

Common “jobs” associated with the fake check scam are mystery shoppers buying money orders or gift cards to evaluate the store employees, personal assistants purchasing gift cards for the new boss, and car wrap advertisers sending money to an “installer.”

TIP: Don’t deposit or cash checks from people you do not know or trust.

Fake Job Interviews

SCAMMER’S GOAL: Get your personal information for things such as collecting unemployment under your name or persuading you to send money to them.

THE SCAM: The scammer poses as an employer or recruiter, convinces you the job is legit, and entices you with the opportunity to make a lot of money with little effort on your part. Once you believe you got the job, they ask you to give them information or money under the guise of a job requirement.

TIP: Watch for these in a job interview or leading up to one

• The employer or recruiter’s email address doesn’t match the company agency they said they are from. Typically, legit companies will not conduct business with an email like Yahoo or Gmail.
• A text or chat interview. Most interviews will be over the phone, video, or in person.
• The correspondence is unprofessional, with many grammar mistakes, odd hours of communication, and/or a lot of personal questions.
• They are asking for confidential information during the interview process. They should never ask about things like your social security number, driver’s license or passport image, exact address, or banking information early in the hiring process.
• The interviewer sets up a video call, and they aren’t on camera.
• They ask you to pay for equipment, coaching sessions, or starter kits to start your position.
• The interview process and next steps are vague.

Fake Job Ads

SCAMMER’S GOAL: Make you think you are applying with a legit, reputable company to gain your trust and personal information.

THE SCAM: Create a very enticing job advertisement, typically requiring little experience, limited responsibilities, and high pay. These advertisements look professional and mimic companies you know and trust. From there, they can get you to click on unsafe links in emails, give them personal information through a form or over the phone, etc.

TIP: Visit the company’s official website and see if the same job is posted on their career page, or give the company a call to ask about the job posting’s validity. You can also look up reviews about the company to see if there are any complaints about scams.

You got scammed. What now?

1. Stop communicating with the “employer” immediately.
2. If you think they have your financial information, contact all the financial institutions you use immediately to discuss how to proceed. You may be asked to close your accounts and, at a minimum, monitor your accounts for fraud.
   
   Contact us at (800) 743-7228. If it is after hours, and you're worried you may have fraud on your Visa^® Debit card, call (800) 847-2911.
    
3. If you think they have your personal information, such as your social security number, contact your local police department and Federal Trade Commission.
4. Clean your devices with anti-virus software if you downloaded anything or clicked any links the scammer sent you.