Fake Remote Job Offer Scam: How a Fraudulent Employer Stole Her Data

Only on CBS News Chicago, a job offer that seemed almost too good to pass up. Remote work, good benefits, and $45 an hour. But for one Chicago area woman, that job offer turned out to be a sophisticated scam. Marissa Perlman's here now to talk about how this scam worked, and also the warning this victim hopes that other job seekers here before it is too late. Yeah, that's right, Marie. She says that the scammers actually went as far as conducting... video interview sending official looking employment offers to her and even at one point mailing her a personal check she never actually lost money thankfully but she did leave her old job like this one is an example shade Fisher from Wheeling was looking for a new career after earning her MBA online and thought she'd found the perfect fit the job posting itself was basically for being an online content editor 45 bucks an hour remote and great health benefits the came through indeed what followed looked and sounded like a normal hiring process first a video interview it was with a real person as far as i could tell she made it to a second interview but this time it was through an online chat the scammer i've been generally impressed by the way you've approached my questions she got the job and was sent this employment letter but then came the paperwork she shared her social security number and her banking information the thing is it looked very very official I wouldn't have done it unless it had looked official. And then something else. The supposed employer told her she needed to buy equipment for the job. An ergonomic chair, various types of software, data storage, that kind of thing. That's when the warning signs became impossible to ignore. Was that a red flag for you? Oh, as red as a flag in China. The scammer sent Fisher what turned out to be this fake check, telling her to deposit it and use the money. for the work equipment to get you set up quickly. We'll send funds via digital check for you. But instead of depositing that check, she started investigating. She contacted the company based in Germany, and they made clear there was no American branch and no job. This was a scam. Come on. If you're going to at least make money on things, at least try to be legit. Shade is grateful she trusted her instincts, though the scammers now have her personal information. She went right to the bank and had to get new credit cards and bank accounts. I'm having to monitor probably my credit for months over this. And now she is out of work. She put in her two weeks at her longtime job at a car dealership, believing she was moving on to a new opportunity and now can't get that job back. Literally anybody can fall for it if it looks good enough. So I know what we're all thinking. Is this an India scam? Because that's most likely where it's coming from. And according to this, there's no evidence. that this particular scam originated from india however if we go to the common patterns of scams of this type where they ask you for your social security number they give you a professional looking process like they do the video interview with you and then they ask you to buy items these similar tactics appear to be originating from india nigeria and elsewhere so of course those african countries which is interesting because if there is a whole bunch of these scams taking place and they're posting these jobs on indeed i'm assuming linkedin as well you think these major platforms would have a way to catch it especially since they're impersonating real companies this company existed it was in germany they didn't have an office or any jobs in america yet these supposed indian or nigerian scammers can post these job listings go through all these processes collect the social security number bank accounts of Americans and somehow there is no flags you know Indeed doesn't flag that LinkedIn doesn't flag that and it's just good to go. I think that maybe we should just create a process that kind of just filters out India, Nigeria, all these third world countries mainly in the African region from being able to use our platforms because they are just taking advantage in every way they can. It all just needs to end.