When you apply for jobs and post your resume online this year, get into the habit of screening the responses you receive.
A recent WSMV-TV article told the story of a woman who got scammed after posting her resume on Craigslist. WSMV-TV reports that a man who had seen the woman’s resume e-mailed her for help with financial affairs. Though she was suspicious, she nonetheless agreed to help him. When she went to cash the checks he gave her for the work she did, she found out they were fake.
This type of fraud is becoming more common. WSMV-TV says that “with unemployment rising, the FBI reports an increase in the number of Web-based schemes promising large amounts of money for at-home work.”
People who e-mail you and ask you to wire money could be scammers. Even if you deposit a cashier’s check you didn’t know was fake, you still may be responsible for any money you spent.
When looking for work online, be sure to research potential employers ahead of time so you won’t be taken advantage of in the year ahead.