As the holiday hiring season ramps up, the Better Business Bureau is cautioning jobseekers about employment scams.
The BBB says in 2017, it received more than 2,400 reports of employment scams. Students and people aged 25 to 34 are the most likely to be victimized, according to the organization.
Overpayment scams are among the most common. The BBB says a legitimate employer will never overpay an employee and then ask the employee to wire the money to someone else.
Another red flag is a job that requires you to make an upfront payment for materials in order to work from home. You should not have to pay money to start a job.
The BBB says jobseekers should be wary of work-from-home offers, secret shopper positions, or jobs with generic titles such as caregiver or customer service representative.
If you receive a job offer out of the blue, it’s likely a scam. Whenever you receive unsolicited contact from a recruiter or employer, whether it be on a website, email, or by phone, make sure to research the company. Stay away from businesses that don’t have a physical address or won’t provide you with details about the job and the company.
Before you provide any potential employer with your personal information, do some research on the company, and check the official website to confirm there is a job opening.
Local
The National Retail Federation estimates retailers could add as many as 650,000 temporary positions nationwide over the 2018 holiday season. So it should be easy enough to find a legitimate job.
Kohl’s, Target, Amazon and the United States Postal Service are just a few companies looking for holiday help. Stop by the business and pick up an application in person. That way you know you’re not falling for a scam.
If you encounter an employment scam, the BBB encourages you to report it.
