I have been warning you about job scams for twelve years. These scams appear in many platforms including social media, emails, and even on legitimate online employment websites. Recently the Federal Trade Commission issued a warning about a new job scam that originates with a text message on WhatsApp. The text message offers a remote job promising to pay as much as $600 a day, however it doesn’t even identify the company offering the job. In order to be hired, you need to provide your Social Security number which is not particularly unusual since you would have to provide it to any legitimate employer. However, being required to provide it after one initial contact is certainly unusual.
There is no job and if you provide your Social Security number, it will be used to make you a victim of identity theft.
In some instances the scammers will copy outdated online job postings of legitimate companies, but include the scammers contact information. Once you contact them, the scammers request your Social Security number or in other instances request your bank account information in order to send you an advance payment, when in reality the scammers merely want to gain access to your bank account.
TIPS
Not providing the name of the company purportedly offering the job is a red flag that this is a scam as is the demand for your Social Security number so early in the hiring process. Before providing any personal information or scheduling a virtual interview for any job offer you find online, go the real company’s website and not through a link provided by the “recruiter.” There you can go to the company’s “career opportunities” or “jobs” page to see if the company actually is hiring and even then you should apply directly through the company’s encrypted site rather than through links provided by the recruiter.
If you are not a subscriber to Scamicide.com and would like to receive daily emails with the Scam of the day, all you need to do is sign up for free using this link. https://scamicide.com/scam-of-the-day/