"The number one rule of thieves is that nothing is too small to steal" - Jimmy Breslin
I love this quote because in a time when most have nothing left to steal, the thieves of the world will simply steal time.
That is, of course, the minimum providing we don't fall for the fake HR paperwork and give them our social security numbers and banking information for the paycheck that we will never see.
In the first 30 days of quarantine, I was solicited by scammers 15 times - and one almost got me. All was quiet for awhile, but as we enter into the holiday season,
I have been a Virtual Assistant for more than a decade. So, during the lockdown, I turned to Zip Recruiter, Indeed, LinkedIn, Hire My Mom, Remote, Career Builder, and Glassdoor to look for work.
Scammers from ALL these companies found me. Some from companies I had not posted my resume' with found me as well.
In almost all cases, the scammers simply hijacked an existing company that is easily Googled and researched. Once you have established that this is a legit company, you (if all goes as planned) respond to their email with interest.
They will then request you interview with them via Google Hangouts or Whats App. This is your first red flag.
Here's a screenshot from an actual email I received with some other red flags to look for:
In addition to the above, if a company offers to pay you an "advance" on your salary or offers to pay a huge amount of money for "home office set up", this should also be treated as suspect. Sometimes a company will try and gather your banking info to make a deposit into your account, and then rob you.
Sometimes, they will send you a check and then ask for the "balance" returned to them. Shortly after you've sent them the balance or return of over-payment, your bank will notify you that the check you initially received was fraudulent and now you are suddenly at the center of a money laundering investigation when all you were trying to do is find some work.
If you fall victim to one of these scams, you will have very little recourse. Most of the scammers are from other countries and extremely difficult to track down.
There has also been an increase in click baiting people with false job offers, leading to confusion and frustration.
Some even tell you you have an interview with a company, and if it's a company you applied to, or you are using a hiring agency, you may show up to meet a very confused hiring manager who has no idea who you are.
Some of these look kind of like this:
What flax seed has to do with anything is beyond me unless you applied to be a flax seed salesperson.
Here's a few ways to determine if a work from home opportunity is legitimate.
1) The email should come from a company account, or provide a direct link to the company's website.
2) There should be a company phone number. If it doesn't match what's on the website, call the number and ask to speak to their HR department or hiring manager and confirm they contacted you.
3) They will schedule either a phone or face-to-face(or face-to-Facetime) interview. Not Google Hangouts or Whatsapp.
4) Search for employee reviews of the company. They can save you a ton of time and aggravation.
5) Make sure the job description has a clear outline as to what the compensation is. If they leave it blank, or if the range is 32k-180k a year, it's a good indication that it might be an MLM (aka pyramid scheme) or commission only position.
6) If they agree to hire you without an actual interview, or offer you a much larger than normal salary for the position for which you are applying, be skeptical. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
Here's what you can do if you come across a scammer:
In most cases, you can "report" a job opening. There is usually an option to choose "scam or spam".
6) If they agree to hire you without an actual interview, or offer you a much larger than normal salary for the position for which you are applying, be skeptical. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
Here's what you can do if you come across a scammer:
In most cases, you can "report" a job opening. There is usually an option to choose "scam or spam".
In the case of LinkedIn and "recruiters" who find and solicit you, you can right click on their profile and choose "report". Here's a screenshot from a scam account I reported so you can see where to find that option.
When in doubt, look for the company's physical location and (again) direct email and phone number to reach out.
I emailed a company I knew existed, but doubted the job opportunity and they were super grateful I brought the ad to their attention. Who knows? They may even remember you when they are actually looking for new employees.
When in doubt, look for the company's physical location and (again) direct email and phone number to reach out.
I emailed a company I knew existed, but doubted the job opportunity and they were super grateful I brought the ad to their attention. Who knows? They may even remember you when they are actually looking for new employees.
And while this scam may not be about employment, it's one that I'm seeing more and more.
I received the below text immediately after making a purchase on Amazon, so I thought it might be legit.
Once I logged in (ugh, I know. It got me), I was prompted to enter in a bunch of personal information and also information having nothing to do with my account directly (they wanted my phone carrier information and personal pin for my phone as well as my full social security number).
So while I recognized that it was a scam, I recognized it after "logging in" and therefore had to change my password and notify Wells Fargo immediately.
I also changed my Amazon password as it was pretty suspect that I received the notification right after a purchase. But damn, it looked real.
When in doubt (and be doubtful of most things until we are in more secure times) call. Call the employer, call the bank, call Amazon - whoever reached out to you. Set up 2-step verification where applicable. I know it's a pain in the ass, but it's better than being robbed.
Stay safe out there!
