NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Leaders with the Better Business Bureau Serving Middle Tennessee and Southern Kentucky said scammers are taking advantage of job seekers by creating fake work offers designed to steal money and personal information.
According to Robyn Householder, these scams pose significant risks, particularly for younger adults.
"Employment scams right now are the largest and riskiest scam for folks between the ages of 18 and 34," said Robyn Householder, president and C.E.O. of the Better Business Bureau Serving Middle Tennessee and Southern Kentucky.
Here’s how it works.
"You get an unsolicited text, an unsolicited email, or an unsolicited phone call and someone's offering you a great opportunity," Householder said.
There are several warning signs that can help job seekers identify potential scams.
Job offers without interviews: Legitimate employers typically require some form of interview process before making job offers.
Requests for credit card information or upfront payments: Scammers may ask for payment for taking a test, training, or even postage to send you materials.
Offers that seem too good to be true: Unrealistic salary promises should raise immediate red flags.
"We have one consumer that was told that they would make anywhere from $250 to $500 a day being a virtual assistant," Householder said.
Householder said once a scammer has your credit card information, they may use it over and over again until you cancel your card.
If you receive suspicious job-related communications, Householder recommends never responding and never sharing personal information like Social Security numbers or proof of identification.
Even if a message claims to be from a real company, that doesn't guarantee the job offer is legitimate.
"Go to their website directly and see if that job exists," Householder said.
Householder also recommends asking questions a business should be able to answer, including: how long have you been in business, what is your company culture like, and are you BBB accredited?
If you suspect you’ve been scammed, you can report it to the BBC scam tracker by clicking here.
You can also call them at 615-242-4222.
The Better Business Bureau notes that "work from home" positions are commonly used in these scam listings, often promising high pay and flexible schedules to lure victims.
This story was reported on-air by reporter Robb Coles and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Coles verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
Do you have more information about this story? You can email me at robb.coles@newschannel5.com.
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