CINCINNATI — It's about that time of year when retailers hire seasonal workers for holiday help. But look out for scammers taking advantage of people trying to make some extra cash right now.
Seasonal jobs are great for making some additional money, but they are not always what they may seem. Employment scams are becoming more common.
The Better Business Bureau tells us these scammers have gotten very sophisticated and are claiming to be real employers.
Career coach Kelly Roehm said she's witnessed this firsthand.
"Fake jobs, fake companies are more and more common,” Roehm said. “Most of the clients that I’ve worked with, particularly over the last year and a half to two years, have encountered some form of scam in their job search process.”
She said these scammers want to steal your money and personal information.
This happened to one Tri-State woman. She asked to remain anonymous but wanted to share the fake offer letter she got from a company.
After accepting the job, she received a check from the company for $4,750 to purchase the equipment she needed.
After the check bounced, and they asked her to open crypto accounts, she realized there was no job at all. By the time she realized it was fake, the scammers already had her bank account info and personal information.
Christine Haley with the Better Business Bureau shared some advice for how you can avoid falling victim to a job scam like this one.
"Just be cautious,” Haley said. “Make sure you do your research.”
If you receive a job offer without an interview, the BBB said that's a red flag.
Even during the peak holiday season, reputable companies prefer to talk to top job candidates before hiring them.
“You should always at least have some sort of an interview, whether it's in person or at least on the phone,” Haley said. “Even the virtual interview probably is kind of a sign you want to dig a little deeper.”
Employers will never ask for payment before they hire you. If someone is asking for you to pay for things like supplies or training fees, that should indicate something is not right.
Haley said many times victims of these scams are hesitant to share their experience, some say they're embarrassed they fell for it.
"People don't want to think that they're vulnerable,” she said. “And it happens to everybody. Don't feel bad. Don't blame yourself. You get caught up in the moment, the excitement of a new job.”
Haley said if this happens to you, it's important that you report it to the Better Business Bureau and local law enforcement.
If you've experienced an employment or another type of scam, please send us an email and tell us about it.
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