As more industries lay off workers, scams have rapidly increased. This issue has proven more problematic in the tech industry due to the significant rate of employees losing work. As such, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has issued several warnings concerning the problem.

According to the Better Business Bureau (BBB), they saw a 250% increase in reported scams over the previous year. The agency’s Scam Tracker reported $840,000 in losses during the first three months of 2023. It also calculated a median loss of $1,500 by victims of job scams. This loss can devastate the unemployed, further complicating their situation.

Though they vary in how they work, employment scams often attempt to steal personal information or money. Scammers try contacting you via email, text, phone, or chat platforms to get your information. Sometimes, they may advertise jobs on social media or job sites. Many scammers even use the names of legitimate companies.

Regardless of the method, applying for their jobs allows scammers to begin. When you apply, they often ask for a large fee or personal information, claiming they want to conduct a background check. They may even request your bank information to set up direct deposit. Sometimes, they will conduct interviews before asking for money or personal information.

Job seekers must stay vigilant to avoid employment scams. As such, you should research the company before providing any personal information. You should also avoid paying someone advertising the job. Consider taking these steps to ensure the advertisement’s legitimacy:

You could also investigate the email domain of the potential employer and compare it to the company you would apply through. When talking with the recruiter via email, consider comparing it with the contact information provided by the company. If they do not match, it is likely a scam. 

Finally, you can also search the internet for answers. You can find testimonies and warnings from others about scams that may prove associated with the company. You should contact your financial institution and the Social Security Administration if you believe you responded to a scam.

Safeguarding your personal information and protecting yourself from fraud is crucial. With the rise of employment scams, you should run a self-background check to ensure the security of your information. A self-check could prove crucial if you believe you ran into an employment scam. Stay ahead of identity thieves and other scammers by running a self-check and maintaining control of your personal information.

Protect and guard your personal information and your identity with a seamless self background check. Try it today.

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In a recent announcement, the Better Business Bureau (BBB) warned job seekers about a rapid increase in job scams. The BBB also released an in-depth study it performed concerning these increasing scams. The agency found that jobseekers lost approximately $840,000 to these scams in the first three months of 2023. This estimation marks an increase of 250% over the same period in the previous year.

These job scams often result in identity theft. Identity theft is when scammers use stolen information to impersonate the victim, make unauthorized purchases, open new financial accounts, and commit other fraudulent activities in the victim’s name. The BBB’s study revealed that 34% of victims provided their driver’s license numbers, and 25% gave their Social Security Numbers to job scammers. Thieves use this information to take advantage of the victim’s identity.

Another significant type of fraud is the use of fake checks. The BBB noted that 36% of reported complaints concerning job scams accompanied counterfeit checks. As many scammed job seekers have discovered, federal banking rules require banks to credit checks to accounts immediately. However, when the bank discovers fraudulent checks, it recovers that money from the account holder. In many cases, the account holder may have already paid the scammer part or all of these funds for equipment or other expenses needed to acquire the supposed job.

Jobseekers should carefully consider job offers from an unfamiliar employer, taking care not to rush in uninformed. The BBB provided several tips for jobseekers to help avoid these types of scams, including:

• Research job offers thoroughly: This includes using the company’s website to acquire contact information to verify the offer.
• Avoid providing personal information, such as your date of birth, address, or financial information on your resume, online applications, or to anyone you have not already verified.
• Check out the BBB website: Here, you can check the company’s job offers.
• Examine the employer’s email: Emails that do not match the business’s typical protocols are a red flag.
• Avoid jobs requiring paying in advance: Very few jobs require applicants to pay for the job.
• Don’t let your guard down once you start working: The job could still be a scam even after you begin working.

Taking the time to perform due diligence can go a long way to avoiding becoming the victim of a job scam. Self-checks could identify and allow you to correct any inaccurate information that an identity thief might have caused. Act swiftly and promptly report any scams or incidents you discover to the appropriate authorities.

You can stay one step ahead of hackers and identity thieves by running a quick self background check. Click here to get started.

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