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Attorney General Mike DeWine
DeWine Warns of
Five Top Job Scams
(COLUMBUS, Ohio)—Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine today warned about
five of the most common scams targeting people looking for jobs or
extra income.
In 2015, the Ohio Attorney General’s Office received more than 150
complaints involving work-at-home or business opportunities, many of
which involved potential scams.
Some of the most commonly reported scams include:
Work-from-home office job. A company hires the applicant to work from
home shipping packages, processing payments, completing surveys, or
entering data, but the applicant is asked to provide an upfront payment
to set up a home office or to purchase software, computers, or other
supplies. The job is phony and the applicant will lose any money sent.
Mystery shopper. An applicant is selected for a “secret shopper” job.
The first assignment is to deposit a check and then wire-transfer a
portion of the funds to someone else using the wire-transfer service at
a local retail store. In reality, the check the applicant has received
is no good, and any money the person sends will be lost.
Running a web-based business. In exchange for an upfront fee from the
applicant, a company promises to set up a web-based business that will
generate income through advertising revenue or products sold online by
other businesses. The claims are false and no money will be generated
for the applicant.
Nanny/caregiver scam. Caregivers go online looking for work
opportunities posted on caregiver or classified websites. They find a
job and communicate via email or text message with the “client,” who
sends a check and asks the caregiver to deposit it, and then send some
of the money to a landlord or to purchase supplies related to the
position. Despite the “client’s” claims, it’s all a scam.
‘Wrap your car in an advertisement.’ A company claims an applicant can
make hundreds of dollars per week by wrapping his or her vehicle in an
advertisement for an energy drink or other product. The applicant is
told to provide payment before the ad can be placed on the vehicle. In
truth it’s a scam.
“Regardless of the pitch, if you’re asked to send money as part of a
job you found online, be very careful,” Attorney General DeWine said.
“Con artists are good at what they do, and some pretend to work for
legitimate companies in order to make their scams seem real. Before
providing any money or personal information, conduct your own
independent research. If you suspect a scam, contact my office.”
Signs of a job scam include:
Interviews conducted only online or via instant messenger.
Employers who send a check before the work has started.
Upfront payments required from the applicant for a home office or
supplies.
Recruiters who claim to work for a large company but use a third-party
email account, instead of a company email address.
Employers who ask an applicant to send money via wire transfer or
prepaid card.
Offers that seem too good to be true.
Consumers can report potential scams to the Ohio Attorney General’s
Office atwww.OhioAttorneyGeneral.gov or 800-282-0515.
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