In the past, we’ve written about online job scams to protect Working Solutions agents and applicants.
We’re writing about it again in order to protect you—and our reputation as a legitimate work-at-home company.
Job seekers are being recruited, with phony identities posted to impersonate agents. Be aware, applicants are being asked for resumes, which in the wrong hands, could be used for illegitimate purposes. Do not go online or click on any links they direct you to.
It’s worthwhile to repeat an earlier blog on job scams, featuring advice from reporter Laura Shin of Forbes.
She writes: “So many of us wish we could work from home. But with work-from-home scams taking the top spot for Internet crimes… we’re understandably wary of such offers.”
In a companion story, Shin cautions applicants about:
1. Fake urls.
2. Being contacted directly by a company you’ve never contacted yourself.
3. Conducting interviews by chat.
4. Lack of verifiable contact information.
5. Being asked to give your personal banking information.
To be better prepared, it’s worth reviewing the scams she outlines. Beyond her advice, we’d like to add a few more points for independent workers to consider:
- Watch for companies charging fees to gain entry into their workplaces. Pay us before we pay you. We don’t condone this practice. At Working Solutions, on-demand agents are recruited and educated to work on client programs—with no money out of their pockets. In return, we ask them for a commitment to perform on their programs, as agreed upfront.
- Know the character and culture of any company—before you apply. Glassdoor offers candid reviews of companies by workers. While any company might have negative comments, look for patterns of questionable conduct or repeated concerns.
- Go to the source and check out FlexJobs’ rundown of job scams, with advice from an industry leader in avoiding trouble and finding remote work. Its blogs cover everything from scam keywords to common rip-offs.
