Watch Out For This Work From Home Scam

Not long ago, while looking for a work from home job, I responded to a job announcement for a work from home position as a finance manager. It sounded like the perfect position for me. I have worked in finance for a high tech company and know that many finance functions can be done from a home office. I sent my resume by email and was offered the job, by email, a few days later.

The email explained that my job would be collecting payments from customers, depositing the payments into my bank account, and then forwarding the money to the company, keeping a small percentage for myself. I don’t like doing accounts payable and putting the money in my bank account sounded a little odd, so I turned down the job offer. Now I am really glad I did.

I had assumed the job was working as a bill collector, but it turns out this is a new work from home scam. According to the Better Business Bureau:

In another scenario, a job seeker was hired to collect payments from clients in the U.S. and in turn wire the money to a company located overseas. The employee was instructed to keep a percentage of the money as his or her pay. The employee later found out that the collected payments were for non-existent merchandise sold through online auction sites. Auction bidders, would bid on an item and send in their payment to the seller, only to find out later that the merchandise never existed.

I am very happy I listened to my instincts and turned down the “job”.

Here are some tips from the Better Business Bureau to help you avoid this and other similar scams.

Job listings that use words like “package forwarding”, “reshipping”, “foreign agent agreements” should be approached with caution.

Legitimate jobs do not require you to use your own bank account. Deposits and transfers should be made from the employer’s bank account.

Never fax someone you don’t know copies of your driver’s license and social security card. They can use these to create fake ID’s, or your identity could be stolen.

If you are unsure if a business is legitimate check with the Better Business Bureau.