Lured by convenience and seemingly easy money, more and more people are falling prey to job scams. Particularly vulnerable are people who want or need to work from home and those who are looking supplement their income. Those who fall victim can suffer serious consequences including debt collection and criminal charges.
Here are six of today’s most common job scams:
1. Nigerian Check Cashing Scam
The Nigerian check cashing scam usually involves transferring funds internationally. The scam artist attempts to reassure the victim by offering apparently legal contracts, forged or false documents bearing company letterhead, false letters of credit, payment schedules and bank drafts.2.Reshipping
Reshipping scams often begin with an employment offer, usually via e-mail. As with the Nigerian scam, these “employers” offer bogus contracts and other documentation to make them appear legitimate.3. Envelope Stuffing Scams
These scams usually incorporate a “registration fee” which must be paid before work begins. Once this fee has been paid, the “employee” is asked to post an ad — often the exact same ad that the “employee” responded to — using his or her own contact info.4. Medical Billing
Advertisements for these prepackaged businesses always contain an initial financial investment.5. Work-at-Home Job Lists
These scams claim to sell lists of companies that are hiring for work-at-home positions. These lists are rarely updated and often yield a list of worthless leads.6. Phishing
Phishing scams are cleverly hidden attempts to get your account information. These e-mails appear legitimate — with professional-looking company logos and information — and often claim that there is an urgent need for you to log into your account and verify personal information.Photo by moriza.
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