Many consumers like work-at-home jobs. Fast broadband speeds have made work-at-home jobs attractive for consumers. Scammers and fraudsters find them attractive, too. Work-at-home scams are very profitable for online criminals. CBS News explained how one person lost $35,000 to an employment scam:
"Brad Helding wanted some extra work so he posted his resume on some job sites and soon got an email from a company calling itself Delta Express Couriers. The job? An offer to work from home as a "purchase clerk," buying electronics in large quantities, then shipping them to the company's clients, mostly overseas. The company told him since Montana has no sales tax, they'd save money running the purchases through him. The job paid over $72,000 per year... Helding said he did his research, checking the company's website... The company then sent him $2,000 so he bought iPhones at a Best Buy and shipped them off as instructed. He says for the next batch of purchases, the company told him to temporarily use his own credit card..."
Ultimately, Helding bought and shipped $35,000 worth of equipment. The $2,000 check from the company bounced. A credit card the company later provided was stolen and never valid. Now, Helding owes the $35,000 bill. Plenty of other consumers have been tricked by employment scams:
"He's one of thousands of Americans who fall for employment scams. Employment fraud tops the list of the riskiest scams targeting consumers in 2018, according to a new report by the Better Business Bureau (BBB)..."
Experts advise work-at-home candidates to know the warning signs of job scams, and to thoroughly research the company beyond its web site. Use reputable sources, like the BBB's Search Tool, online company directories (e.g., Dun & Bradstreet, Hoovers, Library of Congress). Visit the websites for the Attorney General (AG), or the Secretary of State (SOS), in the state where you live to further research the company. In many states, the SOS is responsible for maintaining lists of licensed/registered persons and businesses.
If you don't have internet access, visit your local public library for more business directories. Demand a face-to-face meeting with the hiring manager. Visit the company's office location, if possible. Don't complete any application forms with sensitive personal information (e.g., name, address, Social Security number, tax ID numbers, bank account numbers, etc.) until after you've verified the company is legitimate.
The bounced check Helding experienced reminded me of the check scam, which is popular among criminals. Online criminals are crafty and persistent. Work-at-home candidates need to be crafty and persistent, too.