The increase in the cost of living has contributed to more people looking for work and some of those are being targeted by scammers.
Calgary administration specialist Tammy Postma has been looking for a job since her last contract ended in August. She told Global News the job hunt has been a full-time job, especially when it comes to staying away from job scams.
“I’ve been scammed at least eight times, at least,” she said. “It’s gotten worse this past year.”
Postma said almost every email she gets about a job posting is fake, even though it looks legitimate. She said they come on company letterhead, complete with a formal application. She’s even had interviews with the “hiring manager” on virtual sites.
But then, the catch. The ask for financial information.
“He sent me a message and he was asking me for all my banking information so that he could get into my bank account,” she said. “So, his accountant could deposit money into my bank account.”
She’s even been sent fake cheques by a prospective employer.
“They wanted to send me a cheque — a copy of a cheque — and I’m to print it out and deposit it in my account. If I had deposited that cheque and taken that money out or used it to pay bills, the bank would have come after me for that money.”
“Don’t cash these cheques. Do not cash them,” she advised.
A Better Business Bureau investigation earlier this year showed job scams would skyrocket in 2023.
In the first three months of the year, the (BBB) Scam Tracker received reported job scam losses of nearly $840,000, up 250 per cent compared to the same time last year.
Mary O’Sullivan-Andersen, president and CEO of BBB Serving Southern Alberta and East Kootenay, told Global News the BBB is definitely seeing an increase in job scams.
“Right now, it’s that time of the year — spending may be up and so is the need to earn more money,” O’Sullivan-Andersen pointed out. “And what we are seeing is people are falling more victim for some of these job scams.”
O’Sullivan-Andersen said these scams can be “really advanced” and be posted on popular platforms that job seekers may see as secure.
“The information that is coming out looks very legitimate and that’s what’s really scary about it. Make sure that you’re verifying their website, their address. Not all businesses have bricks and mortar but there are other ways to substantiate whether or not they’re a legitimate business.”
The BBB also pointed out that the scam is often not immediate. The scammers often have a long game and will lure you into a discussion to start building trust.
The key: if it looks too good to be true, it likely is.
“If you’re suddenly getting an offer and you know you don’t have the experience, it’s offering a lot of flexibility, remote work, excessive pay or high pay — you might just want to slow down and ask yourself: ‘Is this legitimate?'”
BBB tips for job seekers
- Research companies offering jobs at BBB.org.
- Find a number on the business’ website and call to confirm the job or offer is real.
- Check the email address to ensure that it is connected to the company and not a personal email address.
- Be cautious providing personal information to unverified recruiters and online applications.
- Never pay for a job.
Although scammers have tried multiple times to “get” Postma, she has never fallen for their schemes.
“I do my homework,” she said.
She’s warning others to do the same. She’s also pleading for any employer — a “real” employer — to give her and her skills a chance.
“I’m good at what I do and I’m an honest person,” she said. “I don’t get it. I just don’t understand why it’s taking me so long to find work.”