Get Smart About Scams – Fake Job Scams

Intro – What is the scam?

Would you know a fake job scam if you saw one? Some are obvious—full of typos, big promises, and no request for a formal interview. Others can be trickier and more closely mimic something professional. Scammers are taking advantage of people’s tight finances and desire for work-from-home positions to offer jobs with pay and benefits that are just too good to be true.

Red flags to look out for.

Some telltale signs of a fake job post are:

1. The pay is far higher than the skillset or required experience would merit.
2. There are typos, poor grammar and formatting on the job posting and in official communication.
3. The communication channel is exclusively through text. They may also communicate through an email ending with Gmail or Yahoo, instead of an official domain.
4. Once you are in communication, they may not conduct a real interview. The “interview” may be as simple as a chat over text.
5. They may ask for sensitive information such as your social security number or banking information before sending an official job offer.
6. They may ask for you to pay out of pocket for equipment.
7. The recruiter will likely create urgency around the position. For example, they may say that if you don’t accept the position by 5 p.m. that day, you will no longer be considered for the position.
8. Common questions that we receive regarding this scam

Here are a few frequent questions and answers about fake job scams:

What’s the scam?

Most often, fake job scams are what are called “fake check scams.” The scammer will send you a check to purchase your home office equipment and provide you with a specific website to purchase it from. A few days later, the check they sent will bounce and you will be held financially liable for the purchases made. Note that any reputable company hiring you for a work-from-home position will mail you equipment or have you come pick up the equipment if it’s local.

The scams may also become what are called “overpayment scams.” They will send a check or a digital transfer that includes an extra zero or two, then ask you to send the extra cash back to them. In many cases, the scammer will ask you to send the money back in the form of a wire transfer, gift card, cryptocurrency, or other unusual form of payment. This is to make it as difficult as possible for you to recover your money once you realize you’ve been scammed.

Additionally, the job postings could be phishing, vishing or smishing attempts for your personal information.

When will an employer usually ask me for my Social Security Number or bank details?

Normally this step occurs after you’ve received an official, written job offer and you have begun onboarding. A scammer might ask during or immediately after an “interview.”

How can I confirm if a job listing is legitimate?

One easy way to tell is to check if there’s proper grammar in the job listing. You may also want to check the email they provide to send your resume to. A company’s domain name should be how their email ends, not with Yahoo or Gmail. Finally, double check a job listing by finding the company’s official website and checking their careers page. Is the job you’re applying for listed there? If not, it’s probably a scam.

Outro

At Educators Credit Union, we’re committed to ensuring the safety of our members’ accounts. If you suspect you may have fallen victim to fraud, we are here to assist our members every step of the way. Please give us a call at 262.886.5900. Take care and stay safe. Insured by NCUA. Membership eligibility required.