life choice scams
Employment Scams that Work You Over
Job-search scams often feed on people’s desperation. Here’s a common scenario: John lost his job three months ago. Today a headhunter called promising to get him job interviews if he provides personal information. What’s the real purpose of this call?
- The scammer hopes to charge John a hefty upfront fee.
- The scammer plans to steal John’s identity.
- The scammer wants to involve John in a check cashing scam.
“B” is the best answer, but any of these may prove true. Watch out for companies that ask you to supply personal information or money if you didn’t contact them yourself. Beware of unrealistic claims (i.e., “you can make thousands of dollars a month just working from home”), tempting come-ons (“no experience needed), and online ads with grammatical errors or lots of exclamation points. Scammers sometimes masquerade as legitimate businesses or government agencies. Search Google and the organization’s website to see if the recruiter’s name or the job opening is posted there.