BBB warns that with the cooling job market comes a rise in employment scams. Decreasing hiring rates and recent layoffs mean more people are job searching, and scammers are taking advantage.
Of the scam reports BBB received in October, the majority identified a scam company operating under the names Northflow Freight and Northflow Couriers. Victims were contacted about fake shipping, freight, and courier jobs through job listing sites like Indeed.com. In these instances, scammers sent fake onboarding paperwork, requested the victims’ personal and banking information, and even asked victims to buy materials for their new “jobs.” Some victims were tricked into handling or reshipping packages as part of a fake job training.
Other reports listed a scam business operating under the name Techcycle. Victims were offered work-from-home and technical support jobs, only to find the job offerings were fake. As with Northflow Freight, victims were asked to supply personal information and to purchase work equipment. Victims were typically contacted by email or phone calls.
It is important to remember that there are no legitimate work opportunities that involve receiving packages and shipping them to a new address from your home. There are steps you can take to protect yourself from employment scams:
• If you come across a reshipping job listing (also sometimes listed as “package handler” or “package inspector”), report the suspected scam to the United States Postal Inspection Service (www.uspis.gov) and to BBB’s Scam Tracker (https://www.bbb.org/scamtracker).
• Research the hiring company as well as the person who contacted you. Review company profiles at bbb.org.
• Guard your personal banking information. Never give sensitive information to someone you aren’t sure you can trust.
• Watch out for overpayment scams. These involve scammers sending fake checks with extra funds, then asking the victim to deposit the check and return the excess amount. The checks are fake, leaving the victim on the hook with their bank.
• Don’t fall for job offers that seem too good to be true. If you’re offered a job without a formal interview that has excellent pay and benefits, it’s likely a scam.
For more information or to file a scam report, contact BBB at 800-388-2222 or visit bbb.org.
Better Business Bureau