Work From Home Scams

Work From Home Scams are a new tactic fraudsters are using to target unsuspecting victims.  Lets take a look!

 

With rising costs across the board, people are constantly looking for ways to make extra money.  Someone looking to add to their income might search out a work from home job, something easy that promises to bring a lot of money for a little bit of effort.  Especially in the years following Covid, more and more people are opting to work from home.  Work from home scams occur when fraudsters create fake job listings with the intention of taking advantage of applicants.  They prey on people looking for work who may overlook or just not recognize the warning signs.  Most of these scams fall under one of these categories: identity theft, financial, or manipulative.  If you are looking for a work from home job, please be cautious.  According to an FTC report from 2022, close to 100,000 Americans fell victim to job related scams, which is three times the average of other types of scams.  So, what are work from home scams and how can you avoid them?

 

Here is how a typical work from home scam works:

• Scammers post fake work from home jobs on legitimate job sites.  These jobs almost always entail simple labor and a too good to be true starting salary
• When you contact them, they ask to conduct a quick interview over WhatsApp or another messaging service.  You will be quickly hired and asked to either provide sensitive information, perform illegal work, or cash a check to pay for supplies
• Any information you provide can and most certainly will be used to steal your identity.  Any checks will bounce, and you will owe the bank for any cash spent or sent back to the scammer.
• By the time you catch on to the scam, the “company” will cut off all contact with you.

16 warning signs of a Job Scam

1. Job offers that come unsolicited or too easily
2. The listing promotes good wages, easy tasks, and little experience required
3. Job description is vague, and information is sparse or nonexistent
4. The interview process is short, or all communication takes place over a messaging app
5. The employer is out of state or country and cannot do a video or in-person interview
6. You can’t find credible information about the company online
7. Starting pay doesn’t line up with industry standards, especially for part-time work
8. You can’t find any employees on LinkedIn or any reviews online
9. The recruiter seems unusual, doesn’t speak English, or uses poor grammar
10. The recruiter uses a personal or strange email address
11. Communications are missing important details or contact information
12. You’re asked to provide personal information or banking details early in the application process
13. You are asked to pay for supplies, training, or certification
14. You are sent a check and asked to cash/deposit it before you even start working
15. Part of the job included recruiting other people to join (Pyramid Scheme)
16. The pay structure is unorthodox, like you are promised 100% commission or per-package

 

The bottom line is trust your gut.  If you apply for a work from home job and anything about it feels off or too good to be true, walk away before it is too late.