Consumer Alert
You got the job!
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You got the job! Work from home and earn top dollar. They already sent you a big check to buy supplies. (“Send us whatever is left, probably around $1,000,” they said.) If your alarm bells are clanging — great. This dream job has earmarks of a job scam.
Last year, tens of thousands of people reported business and job opportunity scams to the FTC, making them one of the Top 10 frauds reported to the FTC in 2022.
The scams show up as offers to help you start your own business or earn big bucks working from home. Some are pyramid schemes in which promoters claim you can make good money by selling their products, but your earnings really depend on you recruiting new participants. Other scams are fake job listings or employment services aimed at tricking you into handing over your money and personal information.
In 2022, people told the FTC they lost $367 million to business and job opportunity scams, a nearly 76% increase from 2021. What’s more, the median loss was a whopping $2,000. Compare that to the $650 median loss for all fraud types combined in 2022.
There’s no sure-fire way to detect business or job opportunity scams, but these steps can help you decide whether an opportunity is the real deal or a scheme to get your money and personal information:
- Do your own research. Don’t accept any job offer until you’ve checked it out. Scammers pretend to be both well-known and smaller companies, posting jobs on employment websites. So, reach out to the company directly using contact information you know is legit.
- Never bank on a “cleared” check. No honest employer will ever send you a check and then tell you to buy supplies, gift cards, or something else and send back whatever money is left. That’s a fake check scam. The check will bounce, and the bank will want you to repay the amount of the fake check.
Learn more at ftc.gov/JobScams. And, if you spot a scam, please tell us at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
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Hello Sir, Ma.
Pls. What should I do here in Nigeria,
I am a victim of scam since 2020-- 2022.
I can still give you their contact Address or phone numbers.
The total amount got from me is 80,000 Naira.
Pls what do you say.
Hope to read from you soonest.
Artificial Intelligence maybe used to learn selected words used by scammers and they blow the whistles to catch the culprits
First and foremost, if you really want to stop these unknown individuals from taking consumers money. FTC must; eliminate the process by shutting down the resources, advertising and marketing strategies.
How do you do this? Must put stipulation in place with Google, Yahoo, Bing and other online services that violates the Universal Declaration of Human Rights Act 1948 under (Article 5,7 and 12); against consumers Nation Wide.
Google and other web search engine is the starting point because this is the main connection to consumers Data that is been sold and transfer among Data Brokers online.
We both know that the creation of Data Brokers is the piler of corruption in the United States and World; especially if not controlled by the United States Government.
Laws must be set in place to eliminate the selling and transferring of consumers information; if not this will continue to be a major problem for years to come.
The million dollar question is; who is getting paid to allow this monopolize system to be in place. To eliminate this process must investigate and identify these fake/mock employer that are online posting jobs for consumers.
It's not a hard task and the three source to target is:
1. Data Brokers
2. Google, Yahoo, Bing, and other Search Engine Corporate.
3. Business License Identification System for all Business via online business transactions; for mail orders, retail, and any non-ligit employment organization.
FTC must set up three investigation division that focuses on laws to be in place.
Once this has been implement against these three individuals; if not in compliance place stipulations fines.. monthly against them.
Until they get it right and stop violating consumers and taking advantage of them.
Another form of Human Trafficking and Trapping but the difference is: it is through paper, online and transferring of consumers Data.
Real Talk...
Charlotte DeVancew
You really had me going for a minute there. I was going WHAT? I didn't apply for a job with the FTC! I seriously doubt I would even be qualified to work for the FTC except maybe in a janatorial capacity, and I was thinking who on earth would have thrown my name in the hat. I was about to delete the message, but curiosity got the best of me so I clicked on the further information button. I must say you are indeed performing a public service by bringing these kinds of scams to people's attention. Please keep up the good work.