Description

Dear Better Business Bureau, I am writing to report a potential employment scam involving an individual claiming to represent a company called "Black Isle Studios." Below are the details of my experience: I initially received an email from someone identifying themselves only as "Michelle," using the email address [email protected]. Michelle instructed me to contact an individual on Discord named Samuel Zheng, whose handle is zhengonline. While this request did not raise immediate concerns, upon reflection, I found it unusual. After contacting Mr. Zheng, I provided my resume and portfolio, but no other personal information. A few days later, he informed me that I had been offered the position. However, I was told I would need to be shipped equipment for the role—equipment that I did not believe was necessary based on the skills and qualifications I had described during our communication. Specifically, I was told I would require a Safescan TA-8020 Employee Time Clock System, which would necessitate providing my fingerprints. The job offer was allegedly from "Black Isle Studios," a company that, according to multiple sources, has been defunct for some time. To verify the legitimacy of the offer, I attempted to contact the provided phone number, only to find that the line was disconnected. Given these red flags, I believe this may be an employment scam designed to collect sensitive personal information. I am sharing this information in the hopes of preventing others from falling victim to similar fraudulent schemes.