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9/9/2009

Lexington, KY - The job market has been tight and people who have been looking for employment could be even more susceptible to job scams lurking out there. Many people are looking for jobs in classified ads, employment agencies, and on Internet-based job search sites. The con artists know this. Look at this scam sent to your Better Business Bureau by a local job seeker.

He got this email after posting his resume on a popular job search website. The "company", called Cosco World Group, said they found his resume there and want to hire him as a "financial agent." He would be able to do this from home for only a couple of hours a day, and make good money.

So what's the problem? Several things.

Nowhere in the e-mail does it state where this Cosco Group is located…there is no phone number or even any website provided. A legitimate company would provide another way to contact them besides email.

And speaking of email, the address this email came from was a generic or free email address, not typical for an established corporation.

Also, note the "too-good-to-be-true" earnings. Four thousand dollars for maybe 50 hours of work per month? Doesn't seem likely.

The online job search site our consumer was using has warnings about these red flags.

What usually happens in this scam is the 'employee' is asked to deposit payments that are sent to him, keep some for his pay, and wire the rest to the so-called employer.

The checks he deposits turn out to be fake and bounce, leaving HIM to pay back the bank….and no way to catch the con artist. If you get a job offer like this one in your email box, don't fall for it.

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Be a "Don’t Fall for It!" informant! If you have something to share you believe may be a fraudulent offer or scam, please let the BBB know! Call us at (859) 259-1008 or toll-free, 1-800-866-6668, or email us at info@bluegrass.bbb.org.