Watch for job scams

[djmayur]

With state numbers at about 10 percent, scam artists continue to advertise phony job opportunities, attempting to take advantage of jobseekers.

One Hamilton County consumer lost $3,000 after falling victim to a mystery shopping job scam. He received a check in the mail with a letter stating he had been selected to be a mystery shopper. He followed the letter’s instructions, which told him to deposit the check, spend $100 at the store, and then wire $2,900 to two different locations. After he sent the money, his bank informed him that the check was fake. It was all a scam.

In addition to the “mystery shopper” ploy, other signs of a job scam include claims about:

* Making thousands of dollars working from home.
* Evaluating a wire transfer service.
* Becoming a cosmetics tester at home.
* Paying to get exclusive information about jobs.
* Obtaining previously undisclosed federal jobs.
* Being directed to an obscure website that promises “free” credit scores.

Regardless of the claim, if a company says you must pay before you can accept a job, it’s probably a scam. Even if a job placement company promises exclusive information, job training, starter kits or other materials, be very wary.

Ohio Attorney General Richard Cordray filed a lawsuit against a Cincinnati-based company that charged job seekers $250 upfront for information that was already publicly available, outdated or false.

Remember, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

--- ohioattorneygeneral