Posted on 01/11/2023 11:50:10 AM PST by SeekAndFind
Employment scams using fake job opportunities to swindle applicants are on the rise and have found a new, prime target in laid-off tech workers.
These schemes—which often involve fictitious job listings, interviews with fake recruiters and sham onboarding processes to steal job seekers’ money or identities—proliferated during the pandemic alongside virtual hiring and remote work, according to Federal Trade Commission. Scammers now appear to be zeroing in on workers who have recently lost jobs, particularly in the tech industry, workforce experts and recent job-scam victims say.
The number of reported job scams nearly tripled to 104,000 between 2019 and 2021 and remained elevated in 2022, according to the FTC. U.S. workers lost more than $200 million from employment-related scams in 2021, up from $133 million in 2019, agency data show.
Gustavo Miller, a digital marketing specialist, wrote a viral LinkedIn post chronicling his experience of recently being “hired” to a phantom job.
It began with an email from someone claiming to be a recruiter for cryptocurrency exchange Coinbase, who reached him via his profile on a recruiting site for startup workers. The next day, Mr. Miller wrote, he did an online interview and got an offer for a remote contractor role, which he accepted after looking over the recruiter’s LinkedIn credentials. Soon after, he got a link to an onboarding portal.
There, he met virtually with a man who identified himself as a human-resources official, who told him how to order a laptop, headphones and other remote-work equipment. He realized he was being duped, he wrote, when he received an invoice for $3,200 and spotted what he called subtle changes to the third-party website and email address that sent it. He refused and got little response when he complained, he said. Coinbase warns that only job listings from its website
(Excerpt) Read more at wsj.com ...
Read Gustavo Miller’s, a digital marketing specialist, viral LinkedIn post chronicling his experience of recently being “hired” to a phantom job here :
https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7011049036350668800/
Reminds me of the many fake job offers I received in the 80’s when laid off by the Oil industry. Always job offers but demanding money up front before interview. People taking advantage of those who are down and depressed. That’s when many realize that there is no God who cares.
Interviewer: How do you explain this 4 year gap in your resume?
Me: That’s when I went to Yale...
Interviewer: Well now, That’s impressive...You’re hired...
Me: Thanks...I really needed this Yob...
I have a story in this vein.
I was looking for a new job recently, and a recruiter sent me an e-mail with details of an open position. It was EXACTLY what I was looking for but I had a couple of questions. I responded with my questions, and they were answered to my satisfaction, so I sent my resume and salary requirements to him as requested. He responded that he was submitting me to (we’ll call them “Company X” for consideration, and that I “shouldn’t contact the company directly as he was representing me”). 2 weeks go by, I ping the guy every couple of days, call him once a week. No e-mail responses, he doesn’t answer his phone, and doesn’t return voicemails. I say screw it, and go to the website of “Company X” and check for open positions. Yep, the position that I’m interested in IS in fact there. I apply, the next day I get an e-mail from the VP of HR wanting to chat, 2 days later I chat with the director of engineering, and the following Monday, I get a job offer. Once I accept the job, and go on-site for orientation I chat with the VP of HR about the recruiter. She tells me that they NEVER have used recruiters, and she knows nothing of this guy.
While I’m there, I get an e-mail from him telling me that the position that I applied for has been closed, and that I am no longer in consideration for it, and that he’s sorry. I sent him a picture of the company logo, and tell him that I got the job on my own, and that they’d never heard of him. He says he’s shocked that “Person A” would say that they weren’t talking with him when he had just spoken to him. I go and speak to “Person A”, and they don’t know his name. I tell them “he’s a recruiter”. Ohh! Then I probably DO know him, but since we don’t use recruiters, I ignore any messages I get from him. “So you’ve never spoken to him?” No I haven’t.
I confront “recruiter” about this fact, and he’s confused as to why I’m mad when I got the job.
A different recruiter from the same company sent me an e-mail about a job, I asked questions, she replied, I sent my resume, and then never heard from her again. The job listing contained some very unique words choices to describe specific technologies. I googled these phrases and found out that she had copied a job listing from a company in Guadalajara, and THAT job had been closed for MONTHS. When confronted with this info, she replied that she didn’t know where I got my info, that this WAS a real job, and was open NOW.
So, SOMETHING is going on out there, I’m just not sure what at this point.
When I was laid off in the 90’s, about every two weeks I was contacted by someone with a wonderful opportunity in Multi-Level-Marketing. Usually selling insurance of some kind.
You were asked to pay money just to have a job interview?
The Indians control technology recruitment now. 95% of tech recruiters are Indian. And they will not submit Americans to jobs in the USA. Big tech is attempting to get rid of all American workers. And the federal government is helping them. Biggest news story that is not being reported now.
Maybe they have a gripe with the former Mayor of Philly…
I found it is not uncommon for unscrupulous “recruiters” to find these postings on company sites, then recruit you, and “present you” to the company. They don’t have a contract with the company and are working on a contingency basis. They HOPE to get paid by the company if they hire you. Good companies won’t take such contingency listings. This has been going on for ages; it’s just gotten easier with the internet.
How about if it’s a reference to a fictional character used while making phony phone calls in NYC?
I’ll come down there and rap you in the head with a ratchet.
They call me sizzle chest…I’m silly
Yes. I was asked to pay for contact with interviewer. 1983 was a bad year. Moved overseas and worked abroad for the next 20 years. Had no desire to return to US.
Ultimately, this is why I am a prepper and saver. Yeah...it is also for the SHTF scenario but it is more likely I get laid off. If I ever do, I have plenty to live on.
Ooh boy, you made a mistake — the IRS will be watching you through a night scope.
Check my post history. I have made lots of “mistakes”.
HA!
“Half these things are broken and I’m VERY angry here!”
“GET BRET WEIR I SAID!”
We used to listen to that all the time in Study Hall back in the day.
BTTT!!!
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