Description

I was contacted via text by someone named Mrs. Kristin Boyd who said she was from the recruitment team at NLS Pharmeceutics LTD. She said they had viewed my resume on Career Builder and wanted to interview me for one of 16 available positions. I was asked to reply with YES if interested. I did so. I was told the interview would be done via the Microsoft teams app so I should have that available. I said I did. I was told to use an interview verification code and add a Mr. Mark Armstrong to the contact list, which I did. We set up an interview for the following day Wednesday April, 3 at 12pm. Since we were using Microsoft teams, I expected the interview to be a video conference, but it ended up being a 2+ hour exchange of text messages on the teams app. I was told of the details of the job and that it would be 100% remote or work from home. They said the company had plans in the near future to open office locations "in my area" and that I could work hybrid if I chose at that time. I was then given a list of all the software programs needed to perform my duties. This is where it became suspicious. They said they were going to overnight a check to me and that I needed to deposit it in my account and then purchase the work materials including the software from a vendor they used. After that, they would set up my one-week paid training and I would proceed with the job. When I explained this process to close friends, they too thought it suspicious, including the text-only interview and immediate offer of employment. The following morning April 4, I was supposed to meet with Mr. Armstrong again via text on the teams app, to go over the next steps. Prior to the meeting, I sent him a text via the teams app with my concerns. The only one he addressed was the materials purchase process. He said it had to be done that way in order for us to develop trust between us. I replied that wasn't a sufficient explanation. I told him I withdrew my interest in the position and to never contact me again. His response was simply "good luck".