FTC Announces Operation Bottom Dollar
February 18th, 2010
by Guest Blogger
[Today's guest blogger is Monica Vaca, Assistant Director, Division of Marketing Practices, Federal Trade Commission.]
For most of us who have friends or relatives looking for jobs, the reports about unemployment figures make our hearts sink. But for some, the news that tens of millions of people are searching for something hard to find – a paying job – is just what they need to cook up a scam.
My new friend Cathy told me a story recently. She came across a job listing in the classifieds that seemed right for her and called the number on the ad. The woman on the other end promised to place her in a job for an $89 placement fee. In exchange for a job paying $14 to $19 per hour, that seemed okay, so Cathy borrowed the money to pay it. You can probably guess the end — there was no job.
Today, the FTC, with federal and state partners, announced Operation Bottom Dollar, a law enforcement effort to shine a light on job fraud. For its part, the FTC filed 7 new cases against individuals and businesses that allegedly tricked people into paying money for jobs or other chances to earn income.
What are some types of job scams involved in Operation Bottom Dollar?
Here is what you need to know about job fraud:
- Don’t pay money for the promise of a job.
- Federal government jobs and jobs with the U.S. Postal Service do not require any application or other fees.
- Be very skeptical of anyone who asks for money in exchange for a so-called “opportunity” to work from home.
- Before paying money, check out the business with the Better Business Bureau.
- Report fraud to the FTC.
What’s the takeaway for job seekers from Operation Bottom Dollar?
Learn more at ftc.gov/jobscams.
Tags: classifieds, employment, job search, jobs
This entry was posted on Thursday, February 18th, 2010 at 8:42 am and is filed under Scam Watch. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
I am constantly being hit on craigs list by to basic types of scams. I have tried to contact Craigslist and had no reply.
Scam one comes in many forms of Job opportunities. But it does not matter what form. It comes in Mystery shopper ads or personal assistant ads now. They pose as US professionals who also may have a business elsewhere. The job discription for mystery shopper comes as a “western Union” assignment. The personal assistant has come as someone who donates to an orphanage, or other types of business matter. All involve checks being sent in my name for thousnds of dollars and I am to cash it take my weekly pay and send the rest on. I was aware of a scam right off as few of the correspondance makes sense to any questions I have posed, no names correspond to emails. One letter said this attorney had an art gallery in Australia. I just happened to be going there within 3 weeks of the first email so I kept asking for the address so I could stop in. Never got a reply but did get a check. Two within a few weeks but different names and jobs. I called the banks on each one to alert them because the issue names seemed real but they also never matched the employer, and were out of state. What I found out was they were real accounts (ONE A LAW FIRM)So I figured the culpirates might be hacking large accounts so it would take a while for them to figure it out. But I could not get anyone to talk to me or get my info for copy of the check I had received. The other band never responded either. I asked my bank who I could contact … nothing. So I now find numerous ads a day when I job search with this same ploy. They ask for all your information Name age addresss etc. I will no longer give it out at all on line nor send my resume till I can confirm the ad and employer real. I miss out on alot of jobs because of it, but too much fraud and Craiglist not being accountable with their ads does not make it easy.
How could the bank not check into this? but also, who is Craig? Why is there no way to find out who’s running Craig’s list, it’s a popular site and has many advantages, good sales etc. but why do they allow this kind of crap (besides the Escort hoopla)?? I too received a check for mystery shopping but luckily had just watched a show on this scam so I didn’t cash it but how do they keep getting away with this, and what would my responsibility be if I had cashed it? WHO are the idiots who keep falling for these scams. If it’s too good, too easy to be true, it’s not!! But then again, I’ve never won the lottery but some people have, or are they made up too?
I was scammed once by one of those “we’ll send you a check and you send on what is left after your cut” scams. I went to my bank and explained the situation and that I wanted to see if this “opportunity” was real. I asked them to deposit the check but to follow it manually (that is, in addition to the normal flow of deposited checks). The teller got with her manager and they did follow it through the system only to find that the check was from a stack of checks that were stolen from a business, washed and then reprinted. They said they had reported the fraud to their corporate HQ. There was a returned check charge against my account but it was for much less than their normal amount and I thought it was well worth the few bucks to not get ripped for the full face value on the check.
I too have a similar story as those above. I was sent a check to validate my honesty for a mystery shopper job.
I went to Walmart and they ran it through their check cashing machine, which then ejected a printout of inquiry to a security firm. I contacted the number on the printout and was given info that the check was stolen.
I went home and sourced the company and contacted them. I had a response and when I explained the circumstances to the individual I was shouted and cursed at.
Since then, any e mail or documentation of invitation to participates gets spammed or torn up.
I was scammed big time… I fell for the Mystery Shopper job… I was sent money order with my “Job Assignment”.. Cash money orders,go to Walmart, shop for some items & then email report with: the condition of store, how efficient workers were, etc… after that was done, Keep $200.00 for my “payment”, send money order to another “shopper” to complete their assignment.bank wouldn’t cash money order, I waited till my bank cleared it, went to Western Union, bought money order for other shopper. 3 days later bank reversed deposit,so I was out $1300.00. Went to Chase for explanation, manager said that was a scam. Chase shouldn’t clear until they were sure it was good. Got Police report, never heard from police…. I was stupid to fall for this, but bank should be responsible for clearing a money order that was not good.. I feel there is no protection for vulnerable people that are trying to do honest work… these people never get caught so they keep scamming…. maybe all of us should try it see ALL the money we could be making!!!!
Yes, I have an aol account full of nothing but scams. You can tell the scams anything you have to send money is a scam. I was recently selling something on craiglist…some offer me over the price to hold and said I no available cash but, can get a money order…that right then made me realize something was wrong. I don’t meet anyone via internet, I don’t sell but cash and carry with being around. Even with money you have to be careful.
I don’t like all these people calling and emailing me about jobs they don’t have.