BBB Scam Email (Copied and Pasted)

Con artists are always finding ways to make their scams more convincing. This time, it’s a new twist on job scams. Scammers are starting to conduct fake interviews, to make job seekers more likely to fall for their cons.

You apply for a job online. It appears to be from a legitimate business, but the position has too-good-to-be-true perks, such as all remote work, flexible hours, and excellent pay.

Previously, scammers would “hire” you as soon as you responded to the job ad. But con artists are now adding a layer of authenticity by conducting fake job interviews over Skype or Google Hangouts. The idea is to gain your confidence by speaking face-to-face. The interviewer and the questions may seem very professional.

After the interview, things get suspicious. The scammer will send you a check to spend on your first assignment or for buying supplies. The catch? You’ll need to transfer some of that money back to the company or to a field representative. The check is fake and any money you transfer will be lost for good. In other versions, scammers ask for money or personal information under the guide of purchasing training, or running a background check, or setting up direct deposit.

• Be wary if a job sounds too good to be true. It probably is, especially if it offers amazing pay and flexible hours for a job that requires no special training.
• Research companies and jobs before agreeing to an interview. Make sure the company is legitimate and the job is really posted on their website.
• Watch out for the overpayment scam. No real job will ever overpay you and then ask you to send funds somewhere else.

To find out more about employment scams, check out this BBB Tip.

If you’ve fallen victim to this type of scam, you can help others avoid being scammed by filing a report with BBB.org/ScamTracker.