9 Common Job Search Scams and How to Protect Yourself

9 Common Job Search Scams and How to Protect Yurself9 Common Job Search Scams and How to Protect YourselfHere at, we loathe job search scams and are truly interested in helping job seekers identify and steer clear of too good to be true job opportunities. CEO,Sara Sutton, started in 2007 to fight back against the frustrating- and often harmful- fraudulent schemes in thework-at-home job market. Thats why we hand-screen every single job and company before its posted our site to help job seekers stay tresor and avoid job search scams.Most job search scams fall within nine common categories. Knowing how to differentiate legitimate work opportunities from harmful ones is the best way to protect yourself in your search for a flexible job. According to data collected from annual Super Survey, 13% of surveyed job seekers have encountered a job scam and 22% know of someone whos been the victim of a scam. And a whopping 82% are very concerned or somewhat concerned with encountering a job scam. Each year the Federal Trade Commission FTC hasNational Consumer Protection Week(NCPW), which serves to help consumers make safe and informed decisions about product safety. NCPW is March 4-10 this year, and in honor of this week, were featuringnine examples of real work-at-home job scams you are likely to run into when looking for flexible work to help you stay safe while job searching.Here are nine job search scams to be aware of1. Data Entry ScamsData entry scams come in many forms, but the common theme is they promise a lot of money for a job that does not require much skill. Jobs in this category often require an upfront payment for processing or training and very rarely pay as well as advertised. There are legitimatedata entry jobsout there, but they do not advertise extravagant wages and they do not require an initial outlay of funds.Actual job posting for a data entry scamNumerous companies are looking for workers to submit information into online forms and they will pay yo u nicely in return. This is not a get-rich-quick scheme but a legitimate way to earn money from home. For Full Details please read the attached .html file.2. Pyramid MarketingPyramid absatzwirtschaft is illegal and has no basis in real commerce. Typically, there is no product involved in a pyramid marketing scheme, just the exchange of money. Similar tochain letters, people invest in pyramid marketing because they believe they will benefit from investments made by people who follow them into the program. In order for someone to make money with a pyramid marketing scheme, someone else must lose funds.Actual job posting for a pyramid marketing scamMy name is Michael. Ive made it my job to help people succeed online. Im constantly on the lookout for the best ways and means to make your job simpler, and I pass the good stuff on to you. I have developed the eBay Cash Machine it allows everyone to make a great income on eBay 99% automatically. It only takes a few minutes to set up and on ce that is done you will have your own eBay Businesses that literally run on auto-pilot You just wait for the money to come in3. Stuffing EnvelopesStuffing envelopes is a job scam that has been around for many years. Although variations exist, this scam typically involves signing up and paying a fee to stuff envelopes from home. Once enrolled, you receive a document explaining how to get others to buy the same envelope-stuffing opportunity you did. You earn a small commission when someone else falls for the scam and pays the nonrefundable fee.Actual job posting for an envelope stuffing scam$550 to $3,000 weekly. Ten dollars for each circular you mailFree postageFree circularsNo newspaper adsNo magazine adsNo bulletin board ads Paychecks mailed to you every week Advance paycheck forms included in your package4. Wire TransfersPopular among thieves, wire transfer scams move money quickly from one account to another. These transactions are difficult to reverse making it nearly impossibl e to recover lost funds. Although sometimes the request for a money transfer may seem legitimate, it should always be thoroughly checked out. Scammers have been known to pose as company executives asking employees to fraudulently move money from one account to another.Actual job posting for a wire transfer scamWe are small new firm engaged in export of goods to overseas outside my country. We have won various small exports contract at one time or the other, recently we were (engaged) contracted to supply financial programs for market analyzing, management project software in USA which was successfully done. We do not have so much time to accept wire transfers and cant accept cashiers checks and money orders as well. So we need your help to accept this payments in your country faster. If you are looking to make additional profit we will accept you as our representative in your country. You will keep 10% of each deal we conduct.5. Unsolicited Job OffersUnsolicited job offers often com e in the form of ajob scam emails. These offers are not sought out by the job seeker and offer either immediate employment or the opportunity to interview for a great job. Some scammers will even pretend to be from a well-known company or job board (such as, ZipRecruiter, or Indeed) to convince a job seeker to interview. Be wary of any job with vague job requirements and descriptions, unprofessional emails, online interviews using a Yahoo IM account, and any emails that dont include contact information or that are sent from a personal email account.Actual job posting for an unsolicited job offer scamOur Worldwide Corporation is looking for new employees on various vacancies. We are already for a long time in the market and now we employ employees to work from home. Our supreme desire now is to enlarge our geschftlicher umgang level to more countries, so we are advertising here in hope of cooperating with you all. We highly appreciate honest and creative employers. You do not need to invest any sum of money and we do not ask you to give us with your bank account requisites We are engaged in totally officially authorized activity and working in our corporation you can reach career growth at a permanent job.6. Online ReshippingOnline reshippingis a very serious job search scam because those who fall for it unintentionally become criminals. Reshipping, also known as postal forwarding, are work-at-home jobs that involve repacking and forwarding stolen goods to customers outside the United States. Although promised a paycheck and reimbursement for shipping charges paid out of their own pocket, those who fall victim for this type of scam rarely receive any money.Actual job posting for an online reshipping scamHonest workers needed for a package processing company located in NY, but any location in US are welcome We have customers worldwide and started that position to suit they needs. We offer you 40$ for each processed package. The payment shall be made twice a mont h. The Company shall also bear all shipping expenses. Your salary is totaly depends on your ability to work fast and handy.7. Rebate ProcessorRebate processing jobs mislead job seekers by promising high income in exchange for processing rebates at home. A nonrefundable training fee is usually required to get started as a rebate processor. Instead of simply processing rebates, this job involves creating ads for various products and posting them on the Internet. A small commission is earned when someone buys the products, part of which is sent back to the buyer as a rebate.Actual job posting for a rebate processor scamMake money simply by filling out online forms Enter the data into the forms that we provide you, click submit, sit back and collect the money. Youll earn $15 per rebate processed. Opportunities like this do not come by every day act now8. Assembling Crafts/ProductsWork-at-home assembly jobs have been around a long time. Most companies offering these positions require y ou to pay an enrollment fee andpurchase all supplies and materials from them as well. Companies are known to reject finished products regardless of how closely they match the sample finished product.Actual job posting for a craft assembly scamThe first thing that youll be receiving is a portfolio of all of our companies, their pay scales and the things you can assemble. Thats so you can pick out your job because there are about 85 different jobs for you to choose from and you are guaranteed any of those jobs. We do have a one-time, lifetime enrollment fee of only $38.95. Now, that enrollment fee is backed with a 90-day Satisfaction Guarantee. All we ask is that you participate in the program for 60 days.9.Career Advancement GrantsThis scam is geared towards job seekers who may want or need to gain extra education or certifications for their career. Youll typically receive an email asking you to apply online for a career advancement grant that supposedly comes from the government and can be direct deposited into your account if approved.Actual job posting for a career advancement grant scamHi, hope you are doing well. We were notified that you may be eligible for the new Career Advancement grant. If you have not taken advantage of this program, the deadline is approaching soon. $5,730 can be direct deposited into your account, should you qualify for the grant. Last week 71 members took advantage of this Career Advancement grant. This is a grant from the government and does not have to be paid back.To identify job search scams, ask yourself a few questionsIs the hiring companys name listed in the job listing?Do you need to pay to get the job, buy supplies, or invest in the company?Does the job listing sound too good to be true?Does the company ask you to provide your social security number, drivers license number, credit card number, or bank information?Does the language used in the posting sound odd or strangely written?Does the name, email, or website of the r ecruiter or job posting match up the actual companys info?Do you have a bad gut feeling? exists to help people find real, legitimate telecommuting jobs and other flexible job opportunities without the fear and verschlimmerung of job search scams. With more than49,000 companies in the database, job seekers can find flexible jobs in nearly every industry from entry-level to executive-level positions.Browse Legitimate Telecommuting JobsRachel Jaycontributed to this post.