Job Searching?
Unfortunately, the market is full of shysters who pretend they
want to help you find a job when all they really want is your
money.
Federal Jobs
Have you seen ads for
HIDDEN jobs with the U.S. Government or Postal Service? This is a SCAM! Anyone who has a job that needs filling isn’t going to hide that fact.
Look Out!
•
If an ad offers information about "hidden" or unadvertised federal jobs for a “FEE”
• For bogus names like “US. Agency for Career Advancement” or “The Postal Employment Service”
• If they say they guarantee jobs and/or high test scores
•
If you’re pressured to buy a expensive booklet containing job listings, practice test questions, and tips for entrance exams.
Federal agencies and the U.S. Postal Service will
• NEVER charge you to apply for jobs
• NEVER sell study guides for job tests
• NEVER guarantee you will be hired until they’ve seen your qualifications
Be aware: Information about federal jobs is available FREE from the
government.
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Assemble Crafts
Sounds easy… You buy instructions and materials to make
stuff like baby booties or toy clowns from a company that
promises to buy back the finished items from you.
Look Out!
• If you get any materials, you’ll only get just enough to make the items – there’s no “oops” factor
• Once completed, your items may not meet the company’s “high standard” and you’re stuck
Be aware: You could end up wasting both your time and your money making items that are difficult or impossible to sell.
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Envelope Stuffing
This old scam is now being marketed online – you’ll be promised BIG MONEY for only a few hours’ work. The truth is, if you get anything at all, you’ll either be sent promotional material asking you to pay for details on “money making” plans or instructions on how to place the same kind of ads that hooked you into sending them money in the first place.
Look Out!
• For ads guaranteeing BIG MONEY for little work
• If you have to send money up front
Be aware: The U.S. Postal Inspection Service says, "In practically all businesses, envelope stuffing has become a highly mechanized operation using sophisticated mass mailing techniques and equipment which eliminates any profit potential for an individual doing this type of work-at-home. The Inspection Service knows of no work-at-home promotion that ever produces income as alleged. "
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Home Computer Business
You’ve seen ads saying: "You can earn from $800 to
$1000 weekly processing insurance claims on your home computer for health care professionals such as doctors,
dentists chiropractors, and podiatrists. Over 80% of providers need your services. Learn how in one day!"
You’ll go to a business opportunity trade show at a hotel and be offered the chance to learn how to process medical claims. The company may tell you they’ll coordinate your work with insurance companies through their central computer so you can do this in the comfort of your home.
Look Out!
• For overpriced software programs and computers
• Pressure to make a decision immediately
• For expensive training sessions even if they’re available at a “special rate”
• If you’re asked to pay for a useless guide to work-at-home business opportunities
Be aware: The expensive training sessions are superficial and the market for your services is very small or nonexistent. Also, once you’ve done the work, there may be “mistakes” or “backlogs” to delay processing which means: NO MONEY to you! Now you’re stuck with no way to earn money on your own.
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Import/Export Specialist
These scams come to you as job board postings or unsolicited emails saying a foreign company needs U.S. based employees to ship products overseas. You’ll be asked to repackage and reship items usually to a foreign country – what you don’t know is those items were STOLEN or paid for using a stolen credit card!
Look Out!
•For mass emails advertising job opportunities
• Job descriptions that use words like: “package forwarding” or “reshipping”
• If they want to ship items to your home for repacking and reshipping
• If you’re asked to shell out for shipping charges even if they say you’ll be reimbursed
• If you’re told to declare these items are “gifts” on U.S. Customs forms
Be aware: You can be held liable for the cost of goods bought online and never paid for or paid for using stolen credit cards. You can also be criminally liable for handling stolen goods and, if you followed the scammer’s instructions, you falsified government documents by stating the packages you sent abroad were “gifts.”
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Financial Director/Marketing Manager
Sometimes scammers will advertise on legitimate job sites, forge an email header with a link to a fake posting or even send you a personal email saying: "We’ve seen your resume on the [major job site], and decided to offer you a position in our company. ” They claim to be looking for a “marketing manager” or “financial director” – what they’re really looking for is a way into your bank account.
You will be hired to “process payments” from clients in the U.S. and “transfer funds” to an overseas company because as foreign nationals, they can’t do it themselves. You’ll be told to keep a percentage of the money you collected as payment for your work.
If you cooperate, you’ll be asked to use your personal bank accounts to move funds, which are usually stolen or bad checks, by depositing them into your account and transferring the money to your “employer.” They’ll usually ask for your bank account number or other personal information, too.
Look Out!
•For emails from companies you never applied to
• If job listings use descriptions like: “money transfers,” “wiring funds” or “foreign agent agreements”
• If you’re asked to provide personal and/or financial information
• If you’re asked to fax copies of your ID or Social Security number to someone you’ve never met
Be aware: This is called “money laundering” and you may be liable to your bank for the scammer’s rubber checks and if the money you are transferring is stolen, you are committing theft. You are also at risk for identity theft since these con artists usually ask for your bank account number and other critical information when you sign up for the job. Finally, just because a job is posted on a legitimate website doesn’t insure it has been checked out even if you end up at a site by clicking on a “help wanted” button while browsing local newspapers online.
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Multi-Level Marketing
How many late night infomercials show some guy on the beach drinking a piña colada and claiming: “I’m making money right now while others are doing the work for me!” Yeah, right … These multi-level marketing plans want you to sign up as a distributor AND recruit new distributors. They promise you’ll make money from both your sales and the sales from the people you enlist.
Look Out!
• If they claim you’ll make money through commissions on sales made by new distributors you recruit -- not through sales of products you make yourself.
• For any plan that includes commissions for recruiting additional distributors, it may be an illegal pyramid.
• If new distributors are required to purchase expensive inventory.
• For miracle products or plans promising enormous earnings.
• For shills - these are people who are paid to say they’ve made loads of money through the plan
• Don't pay or sign, any contracts in an "opportunity meeting" or any other high-pressure situation. Insist on taking your time to think over a decision to join. Talk it over with your parents, a knowledgeable friend, or an accountant or lawyer.
Be aware: Not all multi-level marketing plans are scams; there are many legitimate companies that sell their products through local distributors. The key is legitimate plans rely on selling products NOT recruiting new distributors. And, while there may be perks for signing up new people, it’s not going to be the main way you earn your money.
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Chain Letters They will say:
•
“Make copies of this chain letter and send them to people whose names we will provided."
• “All you have to do is send us ten dollars for our mailing list and labels.”
•
“Look at the chart below and see how you will automatically receive thousands in cash return!!”
Look Out!
• They may try to intimidate by threatening bad luck, or try to impress you by describing themselves as successful professional who know all about non-existent legal codes.
Be aware: The only people who benefit from chain letters are the mysterious few at the top of the chain who constantly change their names, addresses, and post office boxes.
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