With few jobs available for a growing number of job seekers, scammers unfortunately have many opportunities to exploit desperate people. Ohio Attorney General Richard Cordray warns Ohioans of scams surfacing on the job market and has some advice on how to avoid them.

Scammers try to take advantage of unsuspecting job applicants. Their scams often involve phony job offers or false promises for work. Scam artists may promise good money and professional experience, but the jobs are either non-existent or very low paying.

 

A job posting is not necessarily real just because it is in the newspaper or on a reputable website, such as Monster.com, CareerBuilder or Ohio Means Jobs. It is always important to research a company before applying for a job. To investigate the legitimacy of a company, applicants should check with the Ohio Attorney General’s Office or the Better Business Bureau. Current and former employees of the company also make excellent resources.

 

In the last three years, the Attorney General’s Office has seen a sharp increase in the number of work-at-home complaints. In these ploys, scammers make false promises that consumers can make thousands of dollars working from the comforts of their own home. Only 18 complaints were filed over a nine-month period in 2006, while 149 have already been filed over the same 10-month period in 2009.

In a business opportunity agreement, the consumer pays for the right to offer, sell or distribute goods or services. While some business opportunities are legitimate, some are scams and often promise quick profits and charge lots of money upfront. Once fees are paid, however, profits never materialize.

 

Several reports have been made in which the scammer initiates a job opportunity scam by sending the consumer a counterfeit check – the scammer says the check represents the consumer’s first paycheck or the money he or she needs to begin a "mystery shopper" job. In some cases, the job is to evaluate a wire transfer service. The scammer tells the consumer to deposit the check and then wire transfer back a portion. Ultimately, the check is returned as counterfeit, and the consumer is responsible for any money lost.

 

If something seems too good to be true, it probably is. Cordray offers the following advice to help avoid scams: