SCAMS TARGET THE UNEMPLOYED

I guess I should not be surprised that the scam artists are targeting the unemployed. They are always seeking those who are vulnerable and in need. This is not the usual Nigerian banking scheme or the package pick-up or even the overpayment of funds kind of fraud.

It started out as a basic ad on craigslist.org. The kind I have been replying to several times a week for the past 10 months. The job description was very general: data entry, answering phones, administrative tasks. The pay was on the high end at $19.00 per hour.

I received a reply! I was excited. I have only received a handful of acknowledgments and 3 actual responses to the hundreds of applications I have placed. The e-mail said they had 310 responses to their ad and needed to screen down the applications before proceeding. There was a list of questions.

This email, and the list of questions, unlike the ad, were not well written. It was in poor English, a bit confusing and the terminology was a bit strange. The questions did not ask for any information which was illegal or inappropriate. But now the job appeared to be a home based job, networked to the company.

So I checked out the company and it did exist, address matched the e-mail, the type of business and the work was as described. The name of the employee who signed the e-mail , Jackson Rantissi was not on the site, but neither were any of the other employees. They do not list employment opportunities on their site. So I spent about 2 hours carefully answering the questions.

A few days later - I am hired! I will be an independent contractor. They will send me a computer pre-loaded with their software. There will be a training period. They ask for a little more information, not a Social Security number, really just the information that is already on my resume. I have the option to be paid by check or direct deposit to Bank of America.

So I call Tom and tell him I want to forward the e-mail because I am not sure about it. Not even a phone call from anyone? Seems a bit odd.

He asked if I checked out the company, which I had. But in the few days since, this has appeared on the company website:


Possible Scam by Evertek Wireless Inc
posted on: 2/9/2010 10:43:00 AM

We recently have received numerous inquires regarding jobs being offered by Evertek Wireless Inc. This is not our company, nor are we affiliated with them. We would urge you to use extreme caution. Based on the information we have received, this may be a scam.

So it appears that they are slowly drawing people in and then will extract the information they need in order to extort money or identity information. They are smart. They are not using any of the known and often warned about methods. I am sorry that I was not one of the more thorough people who contacted the company directly. I admit I have read so many ads that said don't call that I have become concerned about ruining my chances.

Me, being the optimist I am, I had already planned out the rearrangement of the upstairs bedroom and the confiscation of the nice desk in Ally's room (which she only uses for storage) and what a nice workspace I would make for myself and I would miss having people to work with but $3000.00 a month would make up for it and I wouldn't have to worry about buying work clothes and a commute.

So I hope Jackson Rantissi, if that is your name, and the rest of you scumbag scamming people rot for raising the hopes of this emotionally fragile job seeker. I hope the police catch you if you manage to steal from anyone. And watch out job seekers - they are out to get us, 'cuz we don't already have it hard enough.