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INDIANAPOLIS - The Consumer Protection Division (CPD) of the Office of the Indiana Attorney General is warning Hoosiers about an uptick in work-from-home scams that can compromise personal or sensitive information. In just the last few weeks, the CPD has received multiple complaints from Hoosiers who have been contacted via email by scammers offering to hire them for work-from-home positions. If you receive an email offering a work-from-home position, you should look for several red flags. Often, the scammer offers high-paying jobs with wages ranging from $20 to $24 an hour. The jobs also are touted as allowing flexible work hours. Emails from scammers typically request private information commonly needed during a hiring process such as your phone number, a copy of your state identification and bank account information. You should never send such information via email. In many instances, scammers will send links to websites set up to appear to represent professional businesses. Despite appearing legitimate, these websites are often simply part of the ruse. Another tell-tale sign occurs when consumers are told they need to buy specialized equipment — with reimbursement promised once the victim begins the job. Two strategies are often used by scammers. In the first, the scammer may direct victims to a “preferred vendor,†requesting the victim send payment to that person. In the second, scammers may send a counterfeit check to the victim, directing them to cash it and then send money to a different address to pay for equipment. One complainant said a scammer started with one tactic and switched to the other, prompting skepticism. Unemployed Hoosiers searching for jobs are among the most susceptible to these fraudulent practices. The CPD is warning Hoosiers who are searching for employment through career sites to use their better judgement when responding to emails with job opportunities. Another red flag would be any person attempting to conduct a job interview via text message. If Hoosiers receive an email containing any of the aforementioned red flags, it is important that they do not respond. The threat to consumers begins when they engage with the person sending the email. Just as you wouldn’t answer a phone call from an unknown number, the CPD advises Hoosiers to ignore these emails to avoid the risk of being scammed. Even if you don’t send any sensitive information, you still face risks by engaging. Do not reply to these work-from-home job offers, and most importantly, never send private or personal information via email. To file a complaint or gather more information, visit IndianaConsumer.com. |
