Consumer Watch: Scam Expert warns job seekers about phishing scams
John Hessinger with the BBB says criminals are using job seeker's desperation against them
YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) - Tis' the season for the summer job rush, and while average job seekers scour for their next job, they're joined by a wave of new blood. Recent graduates and teens looking for some extra cash are all hitting the pavement at the same time.
The post-pandemic job market has become fluid with many employers looking for workers and many potential workers looking to work from home.
That mixture has become like blood in the water for criminals. According to Scam Expert, John Hessinger with the Better Business Bureau scammers uses phishing tactics to entice desperate job seekers.
Many of their lures involve a larger than normal wage, with almost to-good-to-be true incentives. That's exactly why Hessinger says that if it looks too good to be true it probably is.
Hessinger says if you receive an email from a potential employer, verify, verify, verify. Call the company and talk to a recruiter or contact agencies like the Better Business Bureau to confirm the company's legitimacy.
Hessinger says that job seekers are the perfect prey because the three things you need to get a job, are the same things criminals need to steal your identity. Your name, birthday, and social security number are the most important pieces of information we all have.
