Holiday hiring fraud tops risk list – Carswellfamilyfoundation

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. (KFVS) – People looking for seasonal job opportunities should be wary of those that seem nice but are actually naughty.

The Better Business Bureau’s 2023 Fraud Tracker report ranks employment fraud as the second-highest risk.

Data shows that reports of this type of scam have increased by more than 50 percent compared to the previous year.

The average amount of money people have lost to them is $2,000.

BBB Regional Director Sidney Waters said one contributing factor is the rise in remote work hiring since the pandemic.

“We don’t want to stop you from finding a job over the holidays – we just wanted to give you some insight into how to do it safely and what types of scams are circulating this year,” she said.

People can start by looking for red flags in job postings and pre-employment interactions.

If an employer requires payment in advance, for example for an application fee, training or office supplies, this is something to look out for.

“Anyone who needs this financial and personal information up front should raise the red flag and you should do more research on this company,” Waters said.

Likewise, if someone is willing to offer a job without an interview, that’s a red flag.

“Ultimately, you should at least do a phone interview,” Waters said. “At best, an in-person interview, then a Zoom interview, and then (at a minimum) a phone interview.”

Never accept a job where communication is only via text messages or email, as there is likely a scammer on the other end.

Fraudsters are also using artificial intelligence to their advantage by creating fake web pages that closely resemble legitimate businesses.

To make sure a business page is the real deal, first look at the BBB home page.

“It’s a secure navigation portal, we’ve vetted these websites, you can look and know you’ll be calling safe numbers and using safe websites,” Waters said.

While people usually believe that scams only target the older generation, a new type of scam is targeting the 18 to 24 age range.

Parcel fraud involves doing little work for a high fee, performing tasks such as stuffing envelopes, checking inventory, and then re-delivering the items.

“They will hire you without much interaction, for a very small job with a high salary, and you will do things like check boxes to make sure nothing is broken and re-deliver those packages to other addresses,” she said.

This is another case of something being too good to be true.

“You do this work, give these people your financial information so they get paid, and when payday comes, they are completely gone,” Waters said. “You are not being paid for your work and you have effectively engaged in a two-part scam to divert stolen goods to another address.”

Several people have already reported package scams to the BBB this year.

When it comes to avoiding employment scams of any kind, Waters recommended taking the following steps before signing anything or revealing personal information:

Talk to people who already work for the company
Contact a manager or other company representative
Get an employment contract
Ask for details about the job, duration, payment cycle, etc.

Visit bbb.org for more.