BBB Warning on Three Scams Targeting Job Hunters

Job hunters - be extremely cautious in your search for work because scammers are out to take advantage and make a fast buck.

More families are becoming increasingly susceptible to questionable offers for employment as they try to find work in a down economy. Scammers have set their sights on the unemployed because the number of potential victims is growing every month.

BBB advises job hunters to beware of:

Job offers that require an upfront fee

You should never have to pay up front to work. After all, aren’t you looking to make money, not spend it?

BBB advice: If a potential employer asks you to pay the company to cover the costs of testing, training or background checks, consider it a red flag.

Job placement assistance that makes big promises but can’t deliver

Job placement companies, or headhunter firms, often do not charge the job seekers for help finding a job, but are instead paid by companies that need help filling positions. Some job placement companies, however, have been taking money from job hunters and not fulfilling their promises of quick employment.

BBB Advice: Always research a job placement company first with BBB before signing any contracts or paying any money. Be extremely cautious about paying upfront fees and know the deal on how to get a refund.

Phishing attempts by ID thieves pretending to be real businesses

Identity thieves employ many different methods for getting personal financial information from job hunters. Spam e-mail might offer a great opportunity and direct the job hunter to a Web site that is designed to install malware on his or her computer or solicit bank account or Social Security numbers. In other cases, the job hunter might even be asked to submit a resume, find out they’ve been hired and then immediately be asked for bank account or Social Security numbers.

BBB Advice: Be extremely cautious when responding to unsolicited e-mails from supposed employers—even if the company name is well-known—and do not click on any links in the e-mail until having vetted the company fully and you can confirm the email came from a legitimate source. Legitimate employers will need Social Security numbers for tax purposes and may need a bank account number to deposit paychecks for new employees, job hunters should be wary of any requests for such information from companies and job offers that they have not vetted fully.