Scammers Target Individuals Looking for Work

Harrisburg, PA – Across Pennsylvania, over 300,000 residents age 55+ are actively seeking employment while unethical individuals try to exploit their efforts.

“Scammers use a variety of tactics to try and gain access to your personal information and your money,” said David Kalinoski, AARP Pennsylvania Associate State Director. “Here are some red flags to look for when searching for a job.”

• Fake job listings – Scammers infiltrate job sites and post phony job listings. Fake work offers also appear on social media on profiles created to mislead job seekers. These types of listings ask candidates to pay a fee to complete their application or to get started in the position. They may ask for your bank account information to start the hiring process.
• Email offers – You may receive an email from someone claiming to be a recruiter who found your resume online (such as on LinkedIn) or on a job board. While some emails may come from legitimate recruiters, others may come from scammers trying to obtain your personal information.
• Career consulting – These scams occur when a person poses as a career consultant and reaches out to you about your resume. They say they can improve your resume and help you obtain a job for a hefty fee.

Watch AARP Pennsylvania’s Fraud Watch Alerts on YouTube.

• Work from home scams – Scammers often place ads online claiming you can make lots of money working from home. The job could be anything from reshipping or selling products. They’ll get you interested by saying you can be your own boss and set your own hours. You’ll have to purchase starter kits for training or certifications that are useless.

“Stay vigilant against fake job offers by trusting your instincts,” said Mary Bach, AARP Pennsylvania Volunteer and Chair of the Consumer Issues Task Force. “Legitimate employers will never request your bank account information until after you’ve been interviewed and hired. Always research companies or recruiters who contact you.”

Report scams to local law enforcement. For help from AARP, call 1-877-908-3360 or visit the AARP Pennsylvania Fraud Resource Page at aarp.org/pafraud.

MEDIA CONTACT: TJ Thiessen | tthiessen@aarp.org | 717-381-7420