Staying away from nanny and caregiving job scams

Finding a new job can be a challenge. Websites can help you find work, but scammers also use these sites to find people to rip off. Do you look for work on caregiver/nanny job sites? Sometimes scammers will offer a job but say you need to buy supplies or other equipment. They pressure you to act quickly, before you have time to think. They send you a check and tell you to deposit it and transfer money to their vendor to buy the supplies. Don’t do it — scammers post fake job listings for nannies and caregivers, then make up elaborate stories to get your money. The positions seem real, but they’re not — it’s a scam. The check will bounce. So, the money you sent is actually your own — and it’s gone.

Some scammers may pressure you to send money via gift card or cash reload card. Anyone that asks you to pay with such a card is scamming you.

If you’re looking for work on a caregiving site:

• Don't send money to someone who says they want to hire you. Don’t deposit a check and wire money back. Don’t send them a gift card or cash reload card.

• Search online for a potential client’s name, email address, and phone number. You might find complaints by others who’ve been scammed and find out more about the scammer’s tricks.
• If you sent money to a scammer posing as an employer, contact the company you used to send the money (bank, wire transfer service, gift card company, or cash reload card company) and tell them it was a fraudulent transaction. Ask to have the transaction reversed if possible.
• Report nanny and caregiver job scams to the job site and to FTC.gov/complaint.

For Military Consumer Month, share this video with military families to help them stay away from imposter scams.