Looking for work is a risky business
by Celine Roque
With job losses continuing to pile up, many are finding it increasingly difficult to rejoin the workforce. Sadly, some elements are using this opportunity to prey on those desperate for any work that could help them pay their bills. Take for example this story by Riva Richmond on The New York Times about a man who became a victim of an online scam:
“When Claude Vera responded to the customer-service job opening he saw on the online-classified site Geebo.com back in February, it seemed like one of a hundred small acts that might get him back to work. Most of his e-mail messages to prospective employers were going unanswered, so he was relieved when Penguin Express Inc. replied the next day with a work-from-home job.
To help him get a home office started, Penguin sent him money orders so he could buy, via money wire, the requisite laptop and other equipment from several different people. Mr. Vera, of Jamaica, New York, deposited nine United States Postal Service money orders into his Chase bank account and wired a total of nearly $8,000 to the various vendors. But he never received a laptop or anything else, and the money orders turned out to be already cashed or counterfeit. The scam consumed Mr. Vera’s tax refund and put him in the red by $6,700 to Chase, which sent his case to a collection agent.”
The nature of the Internet makes it an ideal platform for various scammers, as they can be difficult to trace once the victim realizes he’s been had. The best anyone can do is to be careful when dealing with anyone you’re not familiar with online. Maintaining a healthy dose of skepticism about deals that sound too good or too easy can be crucial. The primary rule of nondisclosure, as always,applies for passwords, bank account numbers, social security numbers, and the like. If otherwise legitimate-looking sites/people ask for these information, you may have good reason to be suspicious. Better do some research on them to verify if they are above board. If jobhunting on the Internet makes you worried, you may try to go back to the old-fashioned ways. This may be a bit safer for some, but certainly still merits the same precautions.
Thought...
