Getting Tricked is No Treat in Your Job Search

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Taking advantage of jobseekers -- especially unemployed jobseekers -- is a low blow. Like stealing candy from a baby. On Halloween. But it is happening with increasing frequency, and jobseekers need to be aware of common scams that target those looking for new jobs.

Want to Work From Home? If you've ever thought of working from home, you've probably seen one of these "pay to play" schemes. The premise is great: Earn hundreds or thousands of dollars each week from the comfort of your own kitchen table. But this is a "pay to play" scheme. You're asked to buy a special "kit" that outlines how to make money (sometimes, all you get in return for your $40 investment is a letter telling you how to place ads just like the one you responded to, recruiting other unsuspecting buyers to purchase the "system"). Or you might receive supplies to assemble a product that you assemble and sell back to the company. Sounds great, but the product has to meet the company's "specifications" -- which your submissions rarely (if ever!) do. Other "pay to play" tricks require you to pay a subscription fee to access a website where work-at-home job opportunities may be posted. (If you are looking for legitimate work-at-home opportunities, check out these resources.)

Love to Shop? Mystery shopper opportunities are touted as a great way to earn extra income. While there are legitimate mystery shopper opportunities available, they are a lot harder to come by than simply responding to a Craigslist advertisement. When an unsuspecting aspiring mystery shopper responds to the Craigslist ad, the "company" sends him or her a check to cover "expenses" and asks the person to "mystery shop" a wire transfer service. The individual deposits the check into his or her bank account and wires a portion of the amount to a specified contact, keeping the balance as their "mystery shopping fee." In this mystery shopper scam, you're notified a few days later by your bank that the check you deposited was fraudulent or has bounced. You're then liable for covering the full amount of the deposit (and the money you wired is long gone), plus you'll owe bank fees. This "trick" also is used to "mystery shop" products. In the "product purchase scam," you're wired money and asked to deposit it in your account and turn right around and purchase a product online -- from a eBay, Amazon, or a retail company's website -- and then ship it to a designated contact. The scam is the same -- the wired amount bounces and the product has been shipped elsewhere, so you can't return it and get your money back.

Shipping and Receiving. Related to the product purchase scam. Only, in this case, you're the person receiving the purchased products from the individual in the product purchase scam. You don't know that the products you received were the result of a scam. You're recruited to receive products, check for damage, and ship the purchase to a third party. These are often advertised as "quality assurance" positions but really you're helping "launder" the products for the recipient, by putting more people in between the original purchase and the final recipient. But you may find yourself scammed as well, because the payment you receive (often in the form of a fake cashier's check) will bounce when you deposit it too. And once again, the product will be long gone. (Plus, the victim in the "product purchase scam" may have reported you and your address to the authorities and you may be investigated for receipt of "stolen" property since the original victim didn't receive valid payment for the products they were instructed to ship to you. It can be a real mess.) Or, if you're not part of the "product purchase scam," you may be a "reshipper" -- receiving merchandise that is purchased using stolen credit cards (you don't know this, of course).

Work on Commission. If you have sales-related keywords in your resume, you may find yourself receiving "job offers" to work on commission. While some of these might be legitimate, many of them are not. Be wary of commission-only job offers. And NEVER, NEVER pay a fee to apply for a position. Conduct a Google search on the company and/or job title to check the legitimacy of the position being offered.

Help Accessing the "Hidden Job Market." You can hire resume writers and career coaches to help you find a position -- but be aware that not all job agents are legitimate. There is an entire industry of scam artists that prey on the insecurities of the unemployed -- especially high-level professionals, managers, and executives -- and their need to find new jobs. Some of these firms represent themselves as employment agencies or recruiters, but they charge thousands of dollars ($5,000 to $12,000 on average) for help accessing the "hidden job market." Some of these firms even represent themselves as recruiters or hiring managers, inviting you to come for an "interview" that turns into a sales pitch. Indications that it's a scam are when you're asked to provide detailed financial information as part of the application process, you're asked to "qualify" to become a client of the firm, or your spouse is asked to meet with the recruiter. These companies often attract unsuspecting victims by placing ads disguised as job postings. This "Ask the Headhunter" article for more details on this scam.

Getting tricked is no treat when you're looking for a new job. Here are some tips to help you keep from falling for job search scams:

• You should not have to pay to apply for a position (with the exception that companies can require you to pay a small fee for them to purchase a background check before hiring).

• Do not disclose any personal or sensitive information in job applications, including your social security number or banking or financial information. You will likely need to provide your social security information to a legitimate employer, but only after you've been offered the job.

• The pay seems too good to be true. Entry-level work-at-home positions in particular, pay close to minimum wage -- not $30 per hour or $1000 a week. If it seems like you're getting paid a lot to do very little, be careful!

• Never, never receive a payment and then send part (or all) of it to another company without allowing it to fully clear your bank. This can take several weeks. Some forged cashier's checks or money orders are very realistic looking, and can even fool bank employees. If you receive money and are asked to send payment, wait until the check has FULLY cleared (this can take 3-4 weeks). If the person who sent it to you is impatient, ask yourself why that is! (Scam! Fraud!)

• If it's too easy to get the job, it's probably not legitimate. Watch out for employers who don't carefully check credentials. Legitimate employers will ask about your skills, experience, education, and other factors. Scammers don't spend the same amount of time vetting employees.

• If it's hard to get ahold of someone at the company, watch out! If the company appears to be new, check credentials carefully. Google the company. If the company's address, phone number, and website appear to be focused on recruiting employees -- not customers -- run! Also be on the lookout for a company that has a name similar to -- but not exactly the same -- as a well-known, legitimate company.

Jobseekers -- don't be tricked while you search for your next job opportunity!

What other scams do you know of that target jobseekers? Post your comments below!

And check out these Halloween-themed posts:
Stop Scaring the Gatekeepers
What Do You Fear Most About Your Career Change?