If a job posting sounds too good to be true, Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr says, it probably is.
Tuesday morning, Carr issued a warning about scammers posing as potential employers — especially for work-from-home jobs.
“We are seeing a wave of fake employer scams where con artists use information posted on job websites and forums to exploit victims,” said Carr. “We want all Georgians to have access to quality jobs and opportunities that allow them to thrive, and we will not tolerate this disturbing trend. If you’re in the market for a new job, especially a work-from-home opportunity, look out for the red flags of a scam.”
Among those red flags, Carr says, is a job offering a high salary for simple tasks or minimal experience – adding that scammers commonly advertise high-paying jobs that state “no experience necessary” or “will train.”
“Remember, if it sounds too good to be true, it could be,” he said.
Carr warns that it can be difficult to distinguish legitimate online job offers from those placed by people who are just out to scam someone, especially when it comes to work-from-home jobs.
“These scams are becoming more sophisticated. Scammers advertise jobs on the same online job sites that real employers and job placement firms use, hoping they can con you out of your money or get you to turn over your personal information,” Carr said.
He added that scammers will many times pose as job recruiters or as employees of legitimate companies. They monitor online job sites and send emails to people who have posted their resumes there.
Carr said that many times the victim of the work-at-home scams don’t realize they are being scammed until the end of the month when the first paycheck is due. The victim may not receive a check, but by that time the scammer probably has all the information needed to access a bank account, create fake IDs, commit tax identity fraud and apply for credit cards in the victim’s name.
Carr says there are a number of other red flags to look for:
● Requests for payment. Real placement agents or employers do not require payment from job applicants, whether it’s for training materials, certification, background and credit checks, or the recruiter’s expenses for placing you with a company.
● Requests for sensitive financial or personal information. You should be suspicious of any company that requests via phone or email your Social Security number, driver’s license, bank account, PayPal, or credit card information as part of the initial application process.
● Immediately offers job. Actual employers take their time to research and get to know potential job candidates before offering a position. Be skeptical of a job offer that has come via email, when you’ve never had a telephone or in-person interview.
● Communicates via non-business address. If a company communicates from a free email account such as Yahoo or Gmail, this could signify a scam.
● Know the common scams. Ads for envelope stuffing, at-home craft or assembly work medical or claims processing, and refund recovery, are often placed by scammers. Additionally, be on the lookout for jobs that ask you to accept payment to your own bank account and then wire money on behalf of the company.
Carr also recommends researching the company on the Better Business Bureau’s website.
