The Scam: The Better Business Bureau of New York flagged this as number one on its roundup of the top scams of 2011. You respond to a job ad, often a “work from home” type of deal, and are told you’ve been hired after a phony phone interview. Some of these crooks go so far as to create a fake company website and other flourishes to make this look legitimate. Then they’ll ask for a Social Security number for a “credit check” or bank account information “to set up direct deposit,” which is just a ruse to steal your information.
Avoid It By: No matter how long or how grueling your job search is, do some due diligence online, over the phone and, when possible, in person on any employment offers.
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