Now it’s your turn!
Job and Employment Scam
The scammer wants you to think you can make a lot of money by applying for an easy-to-do job. It’s too good to be true. You will end up paying them or find yourself involved in illegal money transfers. Scammers use advanced tactics to appear legitimate. Scammers use a ‘fake maker’ to construct a realistic online presence (Website and Social Media Accounts) to help sell the scam. They create fake company websites or clone real ones, fake banks with websites, official looking employment documents like offer forms, tax forms, personal information forms, and banking deposit information forms.
You post your resume on an employment website (LinkedIn, Monster, ZipRecruiter, Facebook, Indeed, Kijiji, or CareerBuilder) or the scammer creates a job posting on one of these websites. The scammer contacts you (they are very friendly, polite and professional) with a job offer and initiates an online interview through email, video chat, or text message. Soon after the interview, they award you with the job opportunity and provide a number of employment documents to receive your personal and banking information. They will ask for the following information, some of which is not unusual, as most companies need some of the information when they hire you:
- Picture of your Alberta ID card or driver’s licence;
- Bank account numbers and account information (such as passwords);
- A photo of you;
- Social Insurance Number; and
- Home address and all phone numbers.
You are ‘hired’ in a probationary capacity where you have to prove that you are reliable and suitable for the job. This includes agreeing to message the scammer what you are doing during the day, signing off for breaks to track your work hours; essentially building trust and legitimacy. While you are reporting, they are cleaning out your bank account, selling your information on the dark web, and possibily committing crimes in your name.
Click the play button below to watch a video example:
The first step is to identify the fraud. In the video above, were you able to hear the clues in the story and detect the Job and Employment Scam? The next step is to prevent the scammer from victimizing you or others. If you encounter a similar situation, use these tools to protect yourself from this type of fraud.
SPOT THE SCAM
Job and Employment Scam Clues-
Be aware of companies promising you a commission for online sales. And if they want your bank account information to deposit your paycheque, don’t do it. Check out the job posting to see if it is legitimate.
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Is this a real offer, or does it seem too good to be true?
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Why would they ask for money upfront if they are hiring me to work for them? Credible companies don’t do that!
Tips to spot a Job and Employment Scam
STOP THE SCAM
Job and Employment Scam Defence-
If they offer you a job where you use your bank account to receive and pass on payments for a foreign company, say NO.
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If they ask you to check the services of a cheque-cashing or money transfer company, it is a scam.
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Talk to someone you know and trust about the job offer. Beware of claims that guarantee income but ask for money upfront to process your application – these are scams.
Tips to stop a Job and Employment Scam
