Online job search scams

Call 12 for Action has advice for job seekers who use the internet. The power of the web is attracting more and more scams.

The Better Business Bureau says more and more consumers are reporting they've received bogus job offers disguised as emails from well-known companies. As the economy continues to tighten and unemployment rates rise, you can expect to see more of these scams-- so be prepared for them.

How's the scam work? The job seeker finds a message in their inbox claiming to be from a reputable organization-- one you would trust. A job is offered and the recipient is told they can work from home. Here are the red flags the BBB says you should look for in the email:

First we have grammatical errors. Most of these scammers come from outside the U.S. and English isn't their first language. Even common words are often misspelled. No company-specific email. Well-known companies have their own email systems. They won't use free email account services like MSN, Yahoo or Hotmail. A request for extensive personal info-- like social security or bank account numbers-- is another bad sign. Regardless of the reason given, job seekers should never give out this information by phone or email. Asking for upfront money. Aside from paying for a uniform, don't pay any upfront fees or make a required purchase to get a job. Good firms would never ask you to do that.

If the job requires wiring money through Western Union or another money-wiring service—that’s a 100% scam. If you get an email saying your career-builder or other job-seeking account has a problem and you need to click on a link in the email to fix it—again, that is a 100% scam.

Look for the four red flags outlined above and you should be able to steer clear of these internet job scams.