Description

I received an email this morning offering me a job as a Remote Data Management Specialist for The Emily Program, a company dedicated to treating eating disorders. It was strange because I never interviewed with a real person but, I did have an AI bot interview a few days prior. In the email, I was informed that I did so well during the AI interview that I was hired. The email came from "James Stevens, Hiring Specialist" who advised me to send my name, address and phone number to HR Manager Jared Wilson to start the onboarding process. I was then asked to send a copy of my state-issued ID which I unfortunately did. However, they then asked for bank information so that they could "issue a check for the approved expenses associated with setting up your remote office. Please note that all equipment and software must be procured solely through our authorized vendor. To ensure a seamless experience, our IT team will guide you through the entire setup process." It was at this point that I stopped ignoring the red flags that were going off in my head and decided to phone a friend to get a second opinion. My friend confirmed it was a scam so, I flagged the emails as scams and called The Emily Program which is when I was told they were already aware of the criminal activity and had already received several calls earlier in the day from other people who had been contacted in like manner.