Job scammers are at it again (as if they ever really left) claiming to be Working Solutions, a leader in legitimate, work-from-home positions. This time around, scammers are doing fake interviews in an app called Viper—and it’s not us. And they are still using Facebook and Google Hangouts—those haven’t gone away.
We’re a likely target for impostors. FlexJobs recently named Working Solutions among its Top 100 Companies with Remote Jobs for the fifth year in a row. In 2019, we ranked #5, our fourth straight year in the Top 10.
With so many fraudsters afoot these days, we caution all online job applicants: “Look before you link.”
Apply with Your Eyes Wide Open
Here at Working Solutions, we guard against scammers. Job seekers should do the same.
To avert cons, adhere to guidelines set by remote-work experts, such as FlexJobs and Rat Race Rebellion, both jobsites that applicants can trust.
Well-known as it is, though, even FlexJobs isn’t immune from identity rip-offs, as its CEO Sara Sutton stated last year:
“While we typically try to write about more optimistic job search topics, we need to inform our readers about a common job scam that has unfortunately been using FlexJobs’ name–as well as other sites, including ZipRecruiter, Indeed, and Upwork—as part of the scam.”
Sutton offers these rip-off/tip-off pointers on what to avoid and watch out for:
- Interviews conducted on social media—not through normal HR channels, such as phone calls.
- Phony, generic email with only an individual address—not coming from a real company.
- Unprofessional job write-ups riddled with poor grammar, typos and awkward wording.
Take a Hard Look
Another great source for legitimate jobs is Glassdoor, with comments from employees and contractors about companies. There, businesses are ranked from one to five stars. The site reviews job postings and removes ones that seem fake.
In its Career Advice section, blogger Miranda Marquit advises How to Spot Work-From-Home Scams. She asks: “When you look at the contact information for a work-from-home opportunity, is it helpful? Or is it useless?”
Applicants must always be alert, as Marquit found out herself. She admits to being taken once by a scammer: “A company I’d never heard of offered me a work-from-home position” via LinkedIn, where she had gotten, and been paid for, other “legit opportunities.”
Believing it to be a genuine offer, she accepted the writing assignment and did the piece. Afterward, the company “disappeared”—along with the $800 it still owed her for the work.
On its own site, Glassdoor advises job seekers “…fraudulent job postings can appear, and we suggest you use caution in your job search.”
Safeguard Your Personal Data
Suspect you’ve come across a bogus ad for Working Solutions?
Email Working Solutions Human Resources at hr@workingsol.com. Spell out the particulars, including the scammer company’s name, its fake ad and originating job link.
Be aware, Working Solutions never will want any:
- Job application fees
- Personal banking information and passwords
- Credit card data or scores
Keep in mind the following quote from consumer expert Clark Howard:
“… most work-at-home offers are scams. One stat that I’ve seen says that for every legitimate offer you may see, you’re going to come across 42 scams.”
Related article: Work From Home Guide: Legitimate work-at-home job opportunities.
But, If You Get Ripped Off…
Think you’ve been taken in by a scam? Get in touch with the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) or the Federal Trade Commission’s Complaint Assistant.
Research is the best defense against an online job con. And the faster that you alert authorities and others to suspicious activities the sooner it can be stopped. There should be no shade for scammers.
