Work-At-Home Scam
By greysfreak
@greysfreak (1384)
United States
April 23, 2009 10:33am CST
So, yesterday my mom followed up on an e-mail she got I believe from where she posted her resume on a jobs site. This person who contacted her did an interview over yahoo messenger and I was actually standing right there while she was doing it, it seemed fairly believable, it sounded like a lot of work that she would be doing, unlike some scams that say just sign up and you make millions, this one was I believe $25/hr, and it sounds like accounts receivable work.
Well... long story short, she sent money via Western Union last night, this was supposed to be for software that was to be used for the job. It was around $265.
Well, this morning she was looking at some other emails she received for online jobs, and I told her, do a search for it, because this time I SAW the e-mail and it's looked fishy. So sure enough, on ripoffreport.com someone wrote about this particular one. Well, she decided to search for the one she already was involved with, only to find out it was the same kind of scam. Me, I had seen the name written on paper this morning and proceeded to do research on my own. I didn't have the heart to tell her outright, but I led her to find it, and the reason I couldn't say anything was because I knew my dad was going to flip out, and he did!
Anyway, I just needed a little distraction, and I wanted to post this experience as a reminder to everyone here. The economy is horrible, these people are preying on innocent people who just want to work at home, my mom is disabled, she can't work outside the house, but money is tight right now--so she was looking.
So you guys know if you get something like this, this person is operating using a REAL company called MicroNovations, we have now found out that their site has a scam alert. The problem is, when my mom was looking up info about it, she searched the BBB for this company and it was legit, therefore, thought it was real.
There are a lot of different ones out there like this. BE CAREFUL!
My mom is contacting the authorities, so hopefully justice will be served.
Anyway, do you have any horror stories about online scams? Especially related to jobs?
Question Everything. Trust No One.
7 people like this
12 responses
@kris182_2000 (5469)
• Canada
23 Apr 09
I hate to say that the authorities wont be able to track the person down, so justice wont be served.
I was scammed years ago, by a supposed mortgage broker, I sent the guy over $1300, my life savings for a mortgage. The name checked out, I'd called and checked the references he'd given me.
After I sent the money, I got married and when I got back, emails to this guy bounced back and the number I'd called was disconnected.
I lost everything I had since I'd fallen for this scam. I didn't see it since everything seemed to be in order.
Prior to that I was scammed out of a job that was promised after paying for and taking a course for film security. I paid $240, took the course, but got no certificate, no job even though one was guaranteed. My husband paid for the course, but the guy packed up shop and disappeared before he could take it.
All in all, the guy made off with $35,000 and everyone who'd taken the course was without a job.
The fraud squad couldn't locate this guy, he used an alias. He destroyed the storefront he'd rented, he never even paid one dime of rent, yet he renovated the space.
I don't fall for scams anymore, I've learned m lesson the hard way and I don't want to face that again.
4 people like this
@kris182_2000 (5469)
• Canada
23 Apr 09
Most of the time you have to pay for schooling and that's what the course was. The money I paid for the mortgage was supposed to be a downpayment, it was all that I had, and I was told that it would be enough to secure a mortgage.
I was so wrong.
3 people like this
@jayrene (2708)
• Philippines
23 Apr 09
sorry to hear about your experience... but if the money is sent by western union, then the authorities will have a hard time tracing the owner, and don't expect to get your money back. if it was transferred by paypal or alertpay, you could've asked for a refund, she may get her money back... but sending money through other means like bank, that western union money transfer, if you don't really know the person, is such a bad move.
i feel sorry for your mom. i know how hard life is now, we are facing the same thing, i too is kind of disabled (hearing impaired) and cant find any work, so i went on looking for an online job... those jobs that are being offered that have fees, i stay away from, even those with $20 membership fee, i don't join those kinds.
i am now earning as a free member, not much though as i am just starting, i earned more than $50 already. it's not much in your country, but here it is already a big some.
i've been scammed too, but all that was lost from me was my time and effort doing things for a site... i didnt give them any money... but still it was a lesson learned.
2 people like this
@rsa101 (38166)
• Philippines
24 Apr 09
Thanks for the warning! I really appreciate that well this conmen are really getting more sophisticated. I am seeing lots of this scams going out since the market is becoming larger now that there are many that is without jobs looking for one.
2 people like this
@eichs1 (1934)
• Philippines
23 Apr 09
Thanks for sharing your experience. I really hope more will read this and learn a thing or more in avoiding scamming schemes. Many are saying that with the global recession being felt all around the world, more and more will use the world wide web to swindle others. Exposing the scammers the way you did will really help a lot.
2 people like this
@carann (260)
• United States
24 Apr 09
I am so sorry this happened. I have been scammed before and I learned from it. It wasnt that much money but it still feels like it was. Now I always tell myself I am looking to make extra money not spend it. The internet is a faceless place and that makes it easy to use fake names and scam people.
2 people like this
@veronicalodge12 (160)
• Philippines
24 Apr 09
Wow! Thanks for this scam alert, that's a new modus operandi huh?
I bet if I was in your mom's place, I'd be deceived too. Thank God I don't have that much money to spare for software though, and the thought of giving out money to a suppose to be your company to hand you out cash, is a bit suspicious.
All I know is that, usually scams are those who would be asking you money in whatever small or big amount in exchange for something, that's the usual theme I get to notice.
Happy Mylotting!
2 people like this
@malsun (1528)
• United States
24 Apr 09
I have been a member of mylot for the past 2-3 years and have come across people who take making money on the Internet seriously. Though I join sites i read on this forum, I stay away from anything that asks me to invest even as little as few pennies.
I really hope the authorities are able to help your mom.
1 person likes this
@paulw33 (297)
• United States
24 Apr 09
i get these things all the time from nigera and other places anytime some place says to western union money never do that it is a scam or if you get a email staing they hired you they are going to send you a check so you can deposit into your bank then you take some of it and send the rest to them you don't do that it is a scam if you get a thing stating you have a fedex package waiting for you but they beed your name address and stuff to send it don't do that eather scam.when i get a fishy eamil i do this i write them back and i tell them to shove there scam where the sun don't shine but not in a nice way then guess what they don't send to me again lol
@deejean06 (1952)
• United States
23 Apr 09
Hi greys...I don't have any information about scams but I do feel very badly for your mother. I do understand that the economy is very tight at the moment and that you desperately want to find something that's true. I myself am searching for credible online work. I am signed up on odesk.com but haven't received any job offers yet. I only wish you and your mother the best. Good luck to you!
@carcher777 (141)
• United States
23 Apr 09
This might be too late to be helpful, but you should know that you can stop payment on a money order, at least if it is not the really cheap ones from the convenience store. As long as the money order has not been cashed yet, you can take your receipt from it and get a refund.
I stick to the rule that no matter how legit someone sounds, if they want money up front they are full of it. Better safe than sorry!
@tcsloan19851 (14)
• United States
23 Apr 09
you are right they pray on innocent ppl to try and get rich
2 people like this
