Recently, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) issued a warning about an employment scam that appears to be targeting college students seeking work.
In the scam, students receive a job advertisement in their school email account about administrative job opportunities. After being hired, the student is sent a counterfeit check that they are instructed to deposit in their bank account. They are then told to use those funds to pay for equipment that is necessary to the job. By the time the bank discovers that the check that you received was fake, you have already paid for the equipment which never arrives.
This is no different than the 听we have seen in the past.听The FBI offers the following听tips to protect yourself from these types of scams:
- Be cautious if an online/email job posting claims 鈥渘o experience necessary.鈥�
- Be cautious of exaggerated claims of possible earnings or profits.
- Beware when money is required up front for instructions or products.
- Do not give your Social Security number when first interacting with your prospective employer.
- Be wary when replying to unsolicited emails for work-at-home employment.
- Research the company to ensure it is authentic.听Just because they have a website or a Facebook page doesn鈥檛 mean they are authentic.
If you have been a victim of any internet scam, you may 补苍诲听.
