BBB: Employment Scams Way Up in 2023
CANTON, Ohio (News Talk 1480 WHBC) – There’s a 2023 update on employment scams by the Better Business Bureau.
It shows that nearly three times as many people were scammed in the first quarter of this year compared to 2022.
The report shared by the Canton office of the BBB indicates that the average jobseeker lost $1500.
Even reputable sites like Indeed and LinkedIn can be a first point-of-contact with fraudsters.
Here’s more from the BBB:
Key findings:
Early figures for 2023 show job scam reports nearly tripled compared to the same period last year.
$840 thousand in losses during the first three months of 2023, which is more than the first nine months of 2022.
Median loss of over $1,500 during the first quarter of 2023. Some job seekers’ monetary losses totaled tens of thousands of dollars.
Job fraud is the most common type of scam for those ages 18-34.
Since 2020, over 700 Scam Tracker reports referenced Indeed, 288 LinkedIn and 250 Telegram as their first point of contact with fraudsters.
“Reshipping scams” where fraudsters trick consumers into buying and shipping expensive
electronics appear to be one of the most common job scam types.
BBB tips for job seekers:
Research companies offering jobs at BBB.org.
Find a number on the business’ website and call to confirm the job or offer is real.
Check the email address to ensure that it is connected to the company and not a personal “gmail” or “yahoo” address.
Be cautious providing personal information to unverified recruiters and online applications.
Don’t pay for a job.