The Better Business Bureau is Being Used for Work At Home Scams

The Better Business Bureau is sending a warning out to beware of Work from Home Job Scams that are being listed on the popular Craigslist website. With the unemployment rate hovering close to double digits in most communities, scammers are getting more and more creative with the knowledge that the unemployed are getting desperate in their need for a steady income. They have taken their scamming to new heights and have set up ads that indicate the Better Business Bureau is hiring.

A bogus data entry job opportunity with the BBB was posted in an upper New York Craigslist post. The Better Business Bureau is advising the goal for many of these scammers is to obtain personal information from would be applicants to use for fraud through identity theft.

An applicant contacted the BBB after she applied for one of these data entry positions and was told she had been selected for an interview. She received her notice via email. The email went on to say that employees would be paid through direct deposit and their banking account information was needed. She could sign up for their “preferred banking” opportunity. This caused her to stop and evaluate the situation because of all of the persona information that was being asked in the email. It’s very tempting for those job seekers that have been unemployed for countless weeks and months to fall for this scam which is very unfortunate.

The BBB advises that while many job seekers use social networking sites and online postings for job seeking to be aware of warning signs that indicate that a job isn’t what it appears to be and don’t fall victim to work at home scammers. If there are any questions, warning signs or red flags that cause you to wonder if these are legitimate work at home employment opportunities, don’t become prey to these vultures.

These are steps that the BBB advises you to follow;

·         Never pay for any fees upfront for a job

·         Protect your personal information

·         Be careful of an offer that sound “to good to be true”

·         Guard your resume

·         Exercise caution

·         Report any fraud to the proper authorities

You can report fraud to the BBB, including internet fraud, at 1-800-251-3221 or online at http://www.ic3.gov.

pic is courtesy of betterbusinessbureau