IT’s enough to be out of work and struggling to pay the rent;
it’s worse that heartless and unscrupulous people prey on individuals who
simply want to work and take care of themselves and their families. These
predators use unmonitored job search websites, like craigslist, to “phish” for personal
information (e.g., home addresses on resumes; Internet maps can show your exact
location), or lure unsuspecting applicants into job scams. So, we all need to be careful in this “unseen
virtual” world and use good instincts discussed in How to Avoid Job Scams onCraigslist.
“Angela” (name changed) didn’t follow
her instincts and soon became anxious about her social security number and
fingerprints being in the hands of….who?, and would she lose her money?
This all began when Angela’s
qualifications matched a tutoring job description on craigslist. Observing no contact information and no website
link, red flags waved; her gut said “let it go.”
~
Tip 1 ~
Listen
to your gut! If it doesn’t feel right, do not apply!
Angela ignored her gut. The perfect part-time hours fitted her
schedule and, unlike other tutoring jobs, she didn’t need a car. So, she Googled the company’s name. The
website looked authentic (but that’s easy to do). She clicked on the
“contact” tab, and dialed the Northern Virginia
number. The person who answered seemed surprised that someone was
calling. Angela explained that she wanted to be sure the ad wasn’t
another job scam because no contact information was provided. The woman, who didn’t identify herself (and
Angela failed to ask her name), gave the name and email address of the
individual to whom Angela should send her resume. Within two hours,
“Sallie” (name changed) acknowledged Angela’s cover letter and resume and scheduled
an interview at a popular book store in a mall in a nearby suburb. Angela was hopeful.
The November llth interview
went well. Angela was even encouraged to be a Tutor Coordinator and given
documents explaining the company’s policies, and the job’s tasks and
responsibilities; some documents needed her signature. Sallie confirmed
the job post’s statement that Angela would need to get a background check and
fingerprints, and said she’d be reimbursed for the cost by the 15th
of the month, “when we cut checks.”
~ Tip 2 ~
Don’t
Pay a Fee for a Background Check Without ASSURANCE You Have the Job!
Angela paid for the process without
an official offer. A week later, Angela met Sallie outside (not
inside) another mall and handed her the signed documents containing her social
security number, the card with her fingerprints she’d secured through the local
police department, and the original receipt for the $10 fee. Sallie, in
athletic attire and pushing her carriaged one-year-old daughter, thanked a
professionally dressed Angela, and reassured her she’d be reimbursed.
~
TIP 3 ~
Don’t
Fill Out Forms Online that Require Your SSN
Angela had kindly declined to put
her social security number on forms via email. Sallie said she
understood. Only the hard copies she gave Sallie had that information. “I would prefer to keep that number safe until
hired, but it is not always possible,” wrote Susan M. Heathfield in You Want My Social Security Number?
“It might cost you the employment
opportunity,” but she suggests you write in the required space, “SSN available
upon job offer.” {Note: You have no choice when filling out
government job applications on www.usajobs.gov}
~
TIP #4 ~
Document
Emails, Receipts – Everything!
Angela did the right thing
here. She has all her emails and hard copies of documents and the receipt. Over the course of two weeks, Sallie emailed
Angela and other candidates she’d interviewed about public and charter schools that
needed tutors, and that she would confirm assignments soon. Then, on
December 6, Sallie emailed all candidates saying:
Sadly, I decided Commonwealth
Education is not a good fit for me at this time.
Randi Franklin or Ryan Garton will
be taking over - I forwared all of your paperwork - please check with them
regarding new students, reimbursement, and payroll. For those of you waiting to
be reimbursed, Randi will be sending checks out on the 15th of the month. For
those of you still waiting for background checks, I will send them to Randi as
I receive them.
I was such a pleasure meeting
everyone and I'm sorry if this causes any future inconveniences. I wish you all
the best of luck.
[Email printed with permission, and includes
the actual spelling and grammar errors.]
Thank you for emailing us.
I did receive confirmation of your fingerprints and am in the process of
checking with Prince
Georges County
Thank you for your patience and have a very joyous holiday!
Angela thought it odd they were “in
the process of checking… to see where we stand.” The craigslist’s post
and Sallie’s emails had listed confirmed
locations and stated that tutors only needed to be assigned. Angela also
noted that Janice didn’t mention why she hadn’t contacted her since Sallie’s
departure, nor said anything about reimbursing her. Another two weeks later, Janice hadn’t kept
her promise to get back to Angela. So, on January 17, Angela emailed
Janice:
I am following up on your last email on December 21.
Although you said you would get back with me a week later, I’ve not heard from
you.
I am a little concerned that no timely communications is
coming from [*company name]. Therefore,
I have moved forward in my job search and may not be available to tutor
should a schedule be finalized.
In the meantime, when [Angela
gave “Sallie’s” real name] interviewed me,
she said that the company would reimburse me the $10 I paid for
my fingerprints. To date, I’ve not received the reimbursement. I
would appreciate it if you would inform me of the status of reimbursement.
Also, since it appears I will not be in (*company’s name) employ, I am inquiring about your policy for
returning to me my fingerprint card and all information that shows my
social security number. *Author omitted company’s name.
With no response, on February 2, Janice
called the number at the start of this situation. The individual (Angela
got her name that time) took her information and concerns, and said that Janice
would call her back. She didn’t.
Angela felt scammed, and
rightly so. The company possessed her social security number,
fingerprints and background information. No job and $10 short, she had also
spent valuable time and commuting funds in this employment effort.
Concerned that her identity could be at risk, Angela considered emailing the
Better Business Bureau (BBB) until she learned that filing a complaint could be
a waste of time.
BBB is a private franchise – yes,
franchise – not a local, state or federal government agency. Companies
can purchase membership. Which
provoked one person to ask the BBB in Canada: If all your funding comes from business, how can you be fair to
the consumer? BBB's reply was more like a promo statement.
As a franchise and a non-profit (yes, non-profit) “…the BBB receives
millions in grant money every year from the US Government,” according to Rip-off Report .
The ABC News program 20/20
investigated the BBB in November, 2010.
While Angela’s situation may not be
a scam in the word’s exact meaning, it clearly is a rip off. From now on,
Angela says she won’t bypass her gut reaction, puts her P.O. Box number on her
resumes (she has 5) instead of her home address, and is extra diligent about giving
out her SS number.
~
TIP #5 ~
Take
the Time to Check Out Companies
Searching
whether a company has a bad rap sheet takes vigilance and patience. It’s time-consuming and tedious, but it’s worth it in the
long run. Ask:
1.
Does the company
belong to a professional association? At the time, Angela didn’t think to
check the National Tutoring Association,
or the American Tutoring Association.
2.
Is it licensed?
According to www.sba.gov, “Every business
needs one or more federal, state or local licenses or permits to operate.” Licenses can range from a basic operating
license to specific permits. Regulations vary by industry, state and
locality. None-compliance with regulations can lead to fines.
3.
For a
fee, Angela could have viewed the company’s business details in Dun &Bradstreet or www.hoovers.com databases.
4.
WetFeet.com
and glassdoor.com, as I noted in POWER
INTERVIEWS: How to Sharpen Your Query Skills, are helpful for searching
information about companies. Keep in
mind that not all companies
are listed on these sites, and opinions can be bias for valid or invalid
reasons.
Afterwards,
Angela contacted the Virginia State Attorney General’s office and a representative said they covered such cases and instructed Angela to download and mail
the multi-page complaint form on their website.
She sent the document by certified mail.
Some four months later, the Attorney General’s office replied: “Your complaint is not in our jurisdiction.”
Six months later, another Commonwealth
Education representative emailed Angela: [Partial email printed with permission.]
Regarding
your query about fingerprints, I do not believe we ever received anything from
PG County with your fingerprints. If we still
have any docs in our office with your ssn, we will gladly mail them back to you
(along with a check for $10). Please
send me your address so we can get a check sent to you.
Again,
my sincerest apologies for our oversight on this matter,…
Angela sent her address, and
corrected him that:
An
email from Randi Franklin on December 21, 2011 confirmed that Commonwealth Education received confirmation
regarding my fingerprints. [Author's
emphasis.]
Angela never heard from anyone from
Commonwealth Education again. Frustrated,
she filed a review on www.yelp.com.
At least Angela’s experience wasn’t
deadly as it was for three unfortunate men who responded to a job posted on
craigslist to work on an Ohio cattle farm. On November 18, 2011, WEWS-TV reported the scam led to one man’s death and the other injured. Another man’s body was found on the farm
ten days later.
~ Tip ~
Don’t Let a Desperate Need for money Place You in a
Questionable Situation
and
ALWAYS FOLLOW TIP 1!
If you’ve been scammed, ripped off
or undeservedly disappointed, I’m listening.
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