How to Avoid Being a Job Scam Victim
Jan. 2022
By NTI
With so much to do to find a new job, the last thing you want to be dealing with is being the victim of a scam.
Fortunately, there are safety tips available to avoid the various scams out there.
“If you question something, research using the Internet. Scammers are getting even more sophisticated, so diligence is important” said Alan Hubbard, NTI’s Chief Operating Officer. “You should not have to pay or submit any payment information to apply for a work-at-home position.”
Checking cashing scams frequently begin with an emailed job offer to work as a secret shopper or as someone who transfers funds internationally. You will receive faked documents on company letterhead, stating payment schedules, bank drafts, and false lines of credit. Individuals are asked to cash the check or money orders and told to send the money to a scammer while keeping a small percentage for themselves. This is where the scam hits you. The bank or financial institutions or online payment system will flag you for a fraudulent transfer and deduct the money from your account. You are then liable in the bank’s eyes.
Here are a few tips from former confidence man Frank Abagnale, who did time for passing $2.5 million in bad checks in every state in the United States and in 26 countries. Leonardo DiCaprio portrayed him in the 2002 film “Catch Me If You Can.” Abagnale gave this advice in a US News report.
1. Write checks sparingly: Checks are a gateway into all your personal information. In some cases, banks ask for your social security number, which in some states is the same as your driver’s license. You can also be asked to write down your date of birth, giving a thief a gold mine of information. they can use.
2. Guard your refund checks from the IRS: Forgers have this one pretty much figured out. They take your check out of your mailbox, then they change who is supposed to be paid out and deposit in their own bank account.
3. Don’t use your home mailboxes to pay utilities: According to Abagnale, putting the flag up in your home mailbox is a signal to steal your mail. He suggests making payments at a post office or secured mailbox.
4. Don’t leave your checkbook unguarded: Do you know where your checks are? If a thief finds your checkbook, according to Abagnale, they are going to use the last one in the book, so you won’t know it is gone until it is too late.
5. Don’t forget to balance your checkbook: Do you balance your checkbook? According to Abagnale, most people don’t. Here’s the danger here: If you find you have a forged check, you only have 30 days to notify the bank, because, after that, they don’t owe you a thing.
NTI assists Americans with disabilities and their family caregivers with free job training and job placement services. Register for services with NTI at www.nticentral.org.