Police in Guelph, Ont., have issued a warning about scam job offers after receiving reports of several incidents from residents.
They say the fraudsters will use different tactics to make employment opportunities seem legitimate such as using real business names or slightly altered email addresses.
Police say the scammers will gather people’s information from employment websites before making contact.
The thieves will appear very friendly, polite and professional as they offer an interview through email, video chat or a texting app.
Police say they will then present a job offer before asking for banking information, SIN number, a photo and address details.
The fraudsters will then ask potential victims to use their bank accounts to deposit cheques and make payments to different clients which they will claim are for equipment or supplies.
Once the money is transferred to the “clients,” the cheques then bounce.
Police in Guelph say that a legitimate business would never ask to use your bank account for any reason and they would almost always want to meet with you in person at least once.
The service also says to research a company before accepting any job offers, especially if the business is based online.
Police also warn against giving out credit card or personal banking info for anything aside from direct deposits.
If you do receive money from a business, make sure the deposit is cleared by the bank before moving the money.