Looking for Part-Time Work? Watch Out for Job Scams

Many people are looking for flexible, part-time work to help cover rising expenses, supplement income, or earn extra money during career transitions. Whether you are a college student, retiree, stay-at-home parent, or someone looking for a side hustle, the pressure to find work quickly can make job scams especially convincing.

Employment scams continue to rise nationwide. According to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), consumers reported losing hundreds of millions of dollars to job and business opportunity scams in recent years, with fake check schemes and work-from-home scams among the most common. The Better Business Bureau’s Scam Tracker also continues to receive reports involving fraudulent remote jobs, mystery shopper offers, fake assistant positions, and scams impersonating legitimate businesses, universities, and recruiters.

How job scams work

It often starts with an email, text message, or social media message promoting a job that sounds almost too perfect: remote work, flexible hours, little experience required, and quick pay. Some scammers impersonate well-known companies, staffing agencies, universities, or even local businesses to appear legitimate.

The hiring process may move unusually fast. There may be no formal interview, or the “interview” may happen entirely through text or messaging apps. Shortly after applying, the victim is “hired” and sent a check with instructions to deposit it and use part of the money to purchase gift cards, send funds to another person, buy equipment, or process payments for the company.

Although the check looks legitimate, it is fake. Banks may initially make the funds available, but once the fraud is discovered days or weeks later, the victim is responsible for repaying the money. By then, any funds sent to the scammer are usually gone for good.

In many cases, scammers also collect sensitive personal information during the fake hiring process, including Social Security numbers, driver’s license copies, banking details, and home addresses, which can lead to identity theft.

The FBI and FTC have both warned that employment scams have become increasingly sophisticated, especially as remote work opportunities have grown in popularity.

“Scammers are getting smarter and more aggressive in targeting people who are simply trying to earn extra income,” said Mechele Agbayani Mills, President and CEO of BBB East Texas. “These fake job opportunities can lead to financial loss, identity theft, and significant stress. Job seekers should slow down, verify opportunities carefully, and never send money to an employer.”

BBB provides the following tips for job seekers:

Do your research. Before you say yes to any job, research the company that wants to hire you. Does the company have a professional website and legitimate contact information? Search for what others are saying about their experience with this company.  Do an internet search with the employer’s name and the word “scam” to see if there are reports involving job scams.

Watch for red flags. Scammers often send emails with many typos and grammatical errors. They offer to hire you without an interview and even pay you before you’ve done any work. None of these are behaviors of a reputable business.

Verify emails of recruiters. Make sure they match the domain used by an actual company. Examine email domains carefully and be cautious of recruiters using free email services for official business communication.

Never send money or deposit checks for someone else. No legitimate employer will ask you to send money, purchase gift cards, process payments, or use your personal bank account as part of your job duties. Be especially cautious if you are asked to deposit checks and transfer funds.

Use special caution with work-from-home and reshipping jobs. Fake package reshipping jobs, mystery shopper opportunities, and personal assistant positions are commonly used in employment scams. If the job involves receiving packages at your home and shipping them elsewhere, it may be part of a mail fraud operation.

Protect your personal information

Do not provide Social Security numbers, banking information, or copies of identification documents until you have verified the company and officially completed hiring paperwork with a legitimate employer.

“One of the best ways to keep from falling for an employment scam is by working with a local employment agency,” said Mills. “They can help connect job seekers with legitimate opportunities and identify red flags before someone becomes a victim.”

For more information

To find an employment agency you can trust, go to bbb.org. To learn more about how to avoid employment scams, see BBB.org/EmploymentScam. You can also find valuable information at BBB.org/AvoidScams.

If you believe you have encountered an employment scam, report it to BBB.org/ScamTracker. Your experience can help others to recognize suspicious behavior and stop scammers in their tracks.

 

About BBB: BBB is a nonprofit, business-supported organization that sets and upholds high standards for fair and honest business behavior. Most BBB services to consumers are free of charge. BBB provides objective advice, free BBB Business Profiles on more than 5.3 million companies, 11,000 charity reviews, dispute resolution services, alerts and educational information on topics affecting marketplace trust. Visit bbb.org for more information. BBB Serving Central East Texas was founded in 1985 and serves 19 counties.