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Scammers not only target job seekers with phony offers, they also pose as customers seeking services from businesses. Recently, a locally Accredited Business contacted the Better Business Bureau® (BBB®) Serving Greater Cleveland about an interesting correspondence they had with a scammer on Instagram.
In a tagged post, Paws in the Land which offers pet sitting and other services told BBB that “the scammers are at it again with their scam targeting pet sitters and dog walkers.” In a video included with the post, Paws in the Land shared their correspondence with an individual who stated they are moving to the area from Utah, needed a dog walker, and offered to pay by check. The conversation starts off seeming harmless, casual, and very ordinary. However, the individual then requests Paws in the Land to purchase necessary dog supplies. Paws in the Land describes the rest: “This scam has been going on for years, they reach out to businesses and it starts normal enough. Usually, they (the scammers) are either moving here or they are in the hospital and they need pet care. But then it changes to paying us with a check or their assistant will send a check and they need you to buy them a bunch of stuff on a list.”
Phony customers often pay by checks that later are discovered to be counterfeit.
Pet owners seeking pet walking or pet sitting services should also be alert to scams. The scammers will typically offer a generous rate and then skip any in-person interviews. They may go on to ask for sensitive information such as banking or Social Security numbers to set up a direct deposit or wire transfer. Other times, the scammers may send a check for a large amount of money and then ask for a refund of the balance once dues are paid and supplies are purchased. However, the check casher will soon find out that the check was fake and has lost money they refunded or used on purchased items.
To help prevent consumers from falling prey to similar petsitting and employment scams, BBB is providing the following tips:
- Research the Individual or Company - Take the time to verify that the individual or company exists. Make sure employees are communicating through an official email address or a corporate phone number. For companies who are wondering if their clients are legit, offer to connect on social media. Try to discover when social media accounts were created. Also, look up home addresses and county auditor records to see if stories match individuals’ stories.
- Beware of Fake Checks and Reshipping Goods - Real jobs or side gigs generally don’t involve receiving and refunding money or reshipping goods. Victims of these scams are unwittingly assisting in the movement of stolen merchandise and money.
- Guard Personal Information. Never provide anyone with your personal information, such as a social security number or a bank account, until you are sure you can trust them with it.
- Shady Communication is a Red Flag - Many scams will claim to hire individuals without going through traditional processes such as an interview, background checks, or calls to references. Scammers may hide behind fake email accounts and messaging profiles. Mobile applications like Telegram, WhatsApp, and SnapChat allow the chat creator to permanently delete conversations if questions about authenticity are raised or a scam is uncovered.
For more information about employment scams or to read our Job Scam Study, consumers can visit BBB.org. Better Business Bureau recommends individuals report scams, regardless of whether or not they have lost money, to BBB.org/ScamTracker. These reports can help others avoid falling victim to fraud.