Job scams top the list as second most prevalant — here is how to avoid
Mar 9, 2023, 2:00 PM
Economists forecast an 8% jump in Cyber Monday sales this year. (Adobe Stock)
(Adobe Stock)
SAKE LAKE CITY — Employment scams are the second largest scam in the U.S. right now, according to the Better Business Bureau. The BBB reports a 23.1% increase in such scams submitted to them between 2021 and 2022.
In typical employment scams, the scammer tries to lure subjects by offering jobs where “you can be your own boss, start your own business, or set your own schedule.”
Types of job scams
The BBB says that job scams hadn’t topped their lists since 2019 when they were the number one scam.
One reason for the recurrence could be the increased demand for work-from-home opportunities and claims that people can make a large amount of money in a short amount of time.
“Instead of making money, you end up paying for starter kits, “training,” or certifications that are useless,” said the Federal Trade Commission.
Another common method is the “reshipping scam,” which the FTC describes as receiving packages at your home, discarding the packaging, repacking, and then reshipping to a different address. Most often the address is somewhere outside of the United States.
Similarly, the “reselling merchandise scams” entice you to buy luxury items online and then resell them for a higher price. The scam? You never receive the item you buy.
Right now in the U.S., the four top scams are:
- online shopping,
- employment scams,
- crypto, and
- home improvement.
How to avoid being scammed
On average, employment scams end up costing consumers $1,500. The BBB reports that this is significantly higher than the $171 average for all scam types.
To avoid losing money, the BBB recommends researching the name of the company or the person who says they want to hire you. You can even confirm whether they’ve scammed others, by searching the company name with the words “scam,” “review,” or “complaint.”
Avoid writing checks or buying gift cards for companies.
And there’s a tell-tale sign that an offer isn’t legit. “Legitimate employers,” writes the FTC, “including the federal government, will never ask you to pay to get a job. Anyone who does is a scammer.”
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