Don’t be a victim of work from home job scams!
Yesterday we talked about the ways to spot a remote work job scam. Once you know what you are looking for and you suspect a company or job offer might not be legitimate, here’s how to prevent yourself from being a victim:
Research first: Do some research before you apply. Look up the company online or call using a phone number you know to be real. If you can’t verify the job opening, it could be a scam.
Talk to someone you trust: It never hurts to get a trusted second opinion. Describe the offer to them. What do they think? This also helps give you vital time to think about the offer.
Never pay for a job or equipment: Honest employers won’t ask you to pay upfront for anything. You should NEVER have to pay an employer for a job, and if a job depends on you buying anything from the employer, investigate further.
Never accept payment in advance of doing the work: Real companies won’t send you a check and then tell you to deposit it and send them part of the money back for whatever reason they come up with. This is a scam to gain access to your banking information.
How to research companies
Now that you know what to look out for, you should always confirm postings for legitimate online jobs.
#1 Check the company’s website: A real company will have an online presence. Use the contact details and ask questions through email, phone, and/or online chat support.
#2 Look for company reviews: In addition to the company’s own website, look online for reviews from previous employees or clients. Platforms like Glassdoor and LinkedIn often offer perspectives from people who’ve worked at the company. One bad review is not necessarily anything to be concerned about. When evaluating reviews, look for common themes and patterns across multiple reviews. Also, check out how the company responded to negative feedback, if they responded at all.
#3 Look at their social media: Check out their social media profiles too on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, and anywhere else relevant. They may or may not be on ALL social media platforms, but they should be on at least one or two.
#4 Do an internet search: Try it on different search engines too, such as Google and Bing to get more robust results. Be sure to look several pages in to unearth anything the company has tried to hide. In other words, scroll through to page 10 or more.
Have you been scammed? Here’s what to do.
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) wants to help if you have been scammed in a remote work job scam.
The FTC offers extensive information about who to contact and what to do if you were scammed and they offer a comprehensive resource covering various scenarios. Find what to do if you’ve been scammed here.
You can also report phony job opportunities, and the website where you saw the phony job listing, to the FTC at this link.
Did you give personal or financial information for a job that turned out to be fake? Go to IdentityTheft.gov to report it.