Scam?!
My post a few weeks ago about identity theft/job post scams, rang a little to close to home in the middle of last week. A scammer caught a hold of my innocent, somewhat naive, and very much job-wanting roommate. Her desire to be employed overcame her common sense after receiving a congratulatory message that she had been selected as the top candidate for a job she applied to. One more tiny step and the job would be hers, the email promised. She was directed to a website to fill out a credit report, just so the company could "be sure she managed her finances well." In a moment blinded by the supreme prospect of having a job, she typed in all of her information, bank account and social security numbers and all.
A few hours later she went back to research the company--which didn't exist. The phone number given was disconnected, the website wasn't there, and the person who signed the letter couldn't be found. The horror of what she'd done sunk in, and her embarrassment was more intense than her shock. She couldn't believe she was taken advantage of like that, and that she had been naive enough to fall for the scam. Luckily, she realized the fraud quickly enough to shut down her accounts and avoid too much damage being done. Lesson learned and time to be extra careful. It's hard to accept that people will hit you while you're down (I mean, how sleazy to pick on the unemployed!) but it happens, and we have to be aware of the scams out there. Some things are too good to be true, so be careful if you get a job too easily, or an employer wants information that they shouldn't need.
p.s. T-minus 3 days until my interviews for ECCD in NYC!
A few hours later she went back to research the company--which didn't exist. The phone number given was disconnected, the website wasn't there, and the person who signed the letter couldn't be found. The horror of what she'd done sunk in, and her embarrassment was more intense than her shock. She couldn't believe she was taken advantage of like that, and that she had been naive enough to fall for the scam. Luckily, she realized the fraud quickly enough to shut down her accounts and avoid too much damage being done. Lesson learned and time to be extra careful. It's hard to accept that people will hit you while you're down (I mean, how sleazy to pick on the unemployed!) but it happens, and we have to be aware of the scams out there. Some things are too good to be true, so be careful if you get a job too easily, or an employer wants information that they shouldn't need.
p.s. T-minus 3 days until my interviews for ECCD in NYC!
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