Woman Duped By Job Offer Scam In Sterling: Police

STERLING, VA — If you're out there diligently looking for gainful employment and suddenly you think you have a job offer, this thing that recently happened to a women in the 21000 block of Twinridge Square ranks among the lowest of the low. But it happened, according to the Loudoun County Sheriff's Office.

The victim reported she received an email in reference to a job offer. Then she received a phone call saying she had been hired. She then received a check from the "employer." She deposited it after being instructed to send part of the total to another bank account. Turns out the check was phony and so was the job offer.

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The website job-hunt.com has suggestions as to how to avoid such job-offer-related scams:

9 Common Characteristics of Job Scams

If the opportunity seems "too good to be true," it is probably a scam.
Before you apply for a job or respond to an email with a copy of your resume, make sure the opportunity doesn't match these criteria.

1. "No experience is necessary!" That's usually the sign of a scam. The description is only a sales pitch, or the job described is so simple that anyone could do it. No particular skills, experience, or education are needed to do the job. When you analyze it, the job doesn't make sense, and anyone/everyone would qualify. Often, poor grammar, punctuation, and spelling are used in the description/pitch.
2. "Respond immediately!" These requests are very urgent! You don't have time to wait -- respond NOW! They don't want you to take the time to think about what they are asking or to do any research before you respond.
3. The job is very easy to do. Although you must start as soon as possible, very little of your time and not much effort are needed to do the job. However, they will supposedly pay you very well for performing those few "duties." Again, "No experience necessary" may be part of the job description or pitch.
4. Job interviews are not required. They are already so impressed with you that they don't need to talk with you about the job. Or, the interview can be done very quickly via text message or email because...
5. Very limited contact information is available for them. Contact is only via e-mail to an address at gmail.com or some other e-mail service not associated with the name of their business. If they are supposedly hiring for a legitimate employer, the only contact information provided for your application is not associated with the alleged employer. No website, domain name, or other public record of the "employer" is available.
6. They have a very urgent need to hire you. They need you to start immediately -- today, preferably! You must begin working as soon as possible.
7. You must immediately provide very sensitive information. They require you to provide your Social Security Number, bank account number, credit card number, and/or other personal financial information so they can pay you without delay. Tell them you need to have them send you a check, at least initially.
8. When you Google them, you find nothing, only job postings, or warnings. A legitimate business does more than hire people. A legitimate business -- even one only a few weeks old -- has a website for customers and potential customers/clients. And that website is very likely visible to Google so it shows up in a Google search. An "invisible" website, or no website, is the symptom of a scam. If there are warnings, pay attention.
9. You need to "invest" in training, tools, or inventory to get started. They want you to pay them for tools or inventory to start work. Or you need information they are happy to sell you so you can qualify for the job or start working.

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