Crooks Victimize the Unemployed with Phony Job Ads on Craig's List
On Craig's List, it's really getting out of hand.
Every day, hundreds of advertisements for job openings are posted nationwide at www.craigslist.com. The problem lately, though, is that the majority of them are fake.
A particularly low breed of cyber-criminal is targeting the vulnerable, despairing throng of the unemployed across America. They use the convenient no-cost ads on Craig's List to lure desperate job seekers to respond to postings, only to rip them off or attempt to steal their identity.
There are a number of scams currently working through these job ads.
One scam directs the job seeker to an online "job application". The form collects personal information (including social security numbers), providing the scammer with a perfect collection of identity-stealing tools. Some even use the job descriptions on the resumes they receive to help craft realistic-looking job ads.
Another scam requires job applicants to submit a credit report as part of a "job application", then directs the unfortunate jobless sucker to a site where he or she can purchase that report. There is no job opening in this equasion. The scammer is merely pocketing cash on those credit reports.
Some scammers are simply collecting e-mail addresses so they can spam you later.
It is indeed sad that on any given day, a job-seeker can click into a single category of local jobs on Craig's List, and find one legitimate opportunity out of a dozen total job listings. The others? Lures. Every one. Criminals are trying to increase the odds of getting what they want by casting a wide net.
Craig's List employs people behind the scenes to delete illegitimate ads, in any category. Unfortunately, this latest problem has gone so far that these monitors obviously can't keep up.
In some areas, frustrated job seekers are taking a vigilante approach. They're trying to confirm as many illegitimate job ads as possible, and then posting warning messages on Craig's List exposing the phonies.
Some would-be victims are posting disgusted editorials on Craig's List, asking publicly why Craig's List isn't doing more to screen job posters. And it's an excellent question.
One simple way to discourage fake job posters would be to charge a fee for listing employment opportunities. It would weed out the majority of scammers. In some large cities, Craig's List does charge a $25 fee to advertise a job opportunity. However, for every geographic area in which there's a fee, there are at least a dozen suburban areas in which the advertising remains free. With no fee, it's ridiculously easy to post hundreds of these ads, all over the country, every day. And that's exactly what the scammers are doing.
Meanwhile, job-seekers continue to do their best to discern the few real ads from the many fake ones. It isn't always easy, but here are some tips that might help:
PROTECT YOURSELF: Spotting Phony Job Ads on Craig's List
-- BAD GRAMMAR. Many of these fake ads reveal bad grammar, poor punctuation, incorrect capitalization, sloppy spacing, and inappropriate use of "big words". Most people who post real job ads -- office managers and recruiters -- are capable of composing an ad that's grammatically correct and to-the-point. If it reads like it was written by a moron, it's probably a fake.
-- BIG WORDS & FLOWERY VOCAB. As more job-seekers catch on to these scams, scammers are working harder to fake us out. Consider it a red flag when the ad contains unnecessarily fancy, "business-y" vocabulary. If it reads like they're trying too hard, they ARE. They're trying to scam YOU.
-- OVERLY DETAILED, LIKE A RESUME. If the job description seems overly detailed to you, pause. Does it read like the kind of thing a job-hunter would put on his resume, to describe how specifically qualified he is for the job? There's a good chance that what you're reading was stolen from somebody's real resume. Scammers collect resumes from suckered-in victims and recycle the text to make their ads sound "real". They don't have time to do all that composing from scratch.
-- NAME, BUT NO NUMBER. There's at least one busy scammer who works a real-sounding name into his ads, writing something like, "Call Anne Green to apply", usually at the bottom of the ad -- but there's no phone number provided with which to call "Anne Green". The name is meant to make the ad sound genuine. It isn't. This isn't an employer who simply "forgot" to include a phone number. This is a scammer who had no intention of ever including one -- he just wants to snow you.
-- REAL-SOUNDING COMPANY NAME, ADDRESS, OR OFFICE PARK NAME -- This is the newest trick. Scammers put the name of the (fake) company in the ad to make it sound more real. If you took the time to google the company name, you'd probably find it was fake. If it's real, then you can phone that company and ask for confirmation that their ad on Craig's List is legit. If it isn't, that company's got a great legal case against that scammer -- you should tell them about it.
Variations on this technique include "casually" naming a company address (example: "We need a secretary for our office at 13 Corporate Circle in Jerseyville") and throwing in the name of an office park -- all done to take advantage of you at this high point in your life. Besides, think about it -- most legitimate employers don't want to be flooded with phone calls and drop-in applicants. They tend to be more protective of their identities and locations until they're sure about who they want to interview.
-- ASKING YOU TO HURRY. Any ad that encourages you to apply quickly is probably a scam. Believe me, unemployment is so high right now, NO employer needs to ask applicants to rush. The minute an ad hits the web, it'll have more responses than the advertiser can handle. So phrases like "Apply immediately" and "Send resume right away" hint at a fake ad.
-- UNREALISTIC WAGES/SALARIES. Some scammers are still using this old trick: they advertise wages or salaries that are way higher than the going rate. If it seems too good to be true, it probably is. Remember, their goal is to attract as many people as possible. They're trying to do everything they can to make you respond to them, including dangling dollar signs before your eyes.
-- TOO HARD A SELL. Again, the market is flooded with job applicants. Right now, no employer needs to sell themselves to you. If the ad seems like they're trying hard to make themselves look like a desirable place to work, it's probably a fake. Employers have their pick of qualified, educated, desperate job applicants. They do NOT need to expend so much energy crafting salesmanly language in their job ads.
-- GMAIL, YAHOO, "ROCKETMAIL" E-MAIL ADDRESSES. If the ad is asking you to respond to an e-mail address through Gmail, Yahoo, or any other free e-mail hosting service, chances are, the ad is totally phony. Scammers like to create free e-mail accounts which they can use liberally and hide behind for their scamming activities. Real employers most likely wouldn't publish an e-mail address. Craig's List allows them to anonymize their address when you respond directly to the ad anyway. This is usually a dead giveaway to a fake ad.
-- SCAMMER'S FAVORITE PHRASES. There are some very prolific scammers out there who tend to re-use the same tired phrases. If you know what some of them are, you can spot a fake ad instantly. For example:
-- Leader in the industry. One scammer just LOVES to open his ads with the following phrase: "Over the last decade our company has become a leader in ______ industry. Our reputation has been achieved by having an effective response to our clients needs and by utilizing the proper industry procedures. Now that we are expanding we are seeking some extra help." If you see this phrase of something similar bragging about how the company is a "leader" in its industry, run.
-- Gym membership and company outings. One lazy, unimaginative scammer still pulls this one: his job supposedly includes a "gym membership" and the additional benefit of "company outings". If you see that combo, trust me -- it's a scam.
-- For every hour? Another hard-working scammer uses the phrase "$___ for every hour" to describe wages. People just don't say it like that. For e-ver-y hour? No. This is a scammer trying to make his ad sound more wordy and "professional", but if you see this phrase, either in the body of the ad or in the small print towards the bottom, don't respond.
-- 10$, 11$, 12$... One scammer has a tendency to put the "$" sign after the number in the hourly pay rate, either in the body of the ad or in the small-print section towards the bottom of the ad. For example, "12$" instead of "$12".
When you recognize a suspicious ad, do your fellow job-hunters a favor -- use the "flag" function in the upper right corner of the ad to let Craig's List know it's "prohibited". In theory, Craig's List will delete flagged ads, although this doesn't seem to be happening lately. Perhaps the more flags Craig's List receives, the more likely they'll be to act against these scammers.
* * *
None of the above clues guarantees that a job ad is fake, but they're pretty reliable red flags.
If you decide to take your chances and respond to a job ad on Craig's List, a good guideline is to avoid filling in any electronic forms.
Also, don't purchase anything that was introduced to you by way of a job ad, especially a credit report.
When communicating with a potential employer, let them know you'll be happy to provide your resume and other personal information if he or she can provide a way for you to confirm that the opportunity is legitimate. Ask for the name of the company and the name of someone specific there who can confirm the ad is real. Then, look the phone number up yourself online, independently, and ask for that person through the main switchboard. Don't use the number provided by e-mail. A scammer could have you calling his cell phone and pretending to be anybody, and say anything.
You might consider writing to Craig's List and suggesting ways that they might fight back against this problem. They have become the primary tool for these crooks, and it's in their best interest to stop this. People will eventually stop using Craig's List as a resource if its reputation is so badly eroded by crooks.
Finally, if you know how, consider promoting the cause of catching and prosecuting these soulless people who are preying on the unemployed.
Good luck, and be safe out there!
-- Kim Brittingham
SEE ALSO, "Stupid Things Scammers Do in Fake Job Ads on Craig's List"
SEE ALSO, "Resume on Monster, HotJobs? Beware!"
* Want to keep up with what I'm doing? Before ya go, sign up for my mailing list! I'll never steal your identity, and I don't send stupid spam.
* Seeking permission to reprint this article? Drop me a line: hello@kimwrites.com
Every day, hundreds of advertisements for job openings are posted nationwide at www.craigslist.com. The problem lately, though, is that the majority of them are fake.
A particularly low breed of cyber-criminal is targeting the vulnerable, despairing throng of the unemployed across America. They use the convenient no-cost ads on Craig's List to lure desperate job seekers to respond to postings, only to rip them off or attempt to steal their identity.
There are a number of scams currently working through these job ads.
One scam directs the job seeker to an online "job application". The form collects personal information (including social security numbers), providing the scammer with a perfect collection of identity-stealing tools. Some even use the job descriptions on the resumes they receive to help craft realistic-looking job ads.
Another scam requires job applicants to submit a credit report as part of a "job application", then directs the unfortunate jobless sucker to a site where he or she can purchase that report. There is no job opening in this equasion. The scammer is merely pocketing cash on those credit reports.
Some scammers are simply collecting e-mail addresses so they can spam you later.
It is indeed sad that on any given day, a job-seeker can click into a single category of local jobs on Craig's List, and find one legitimate opportunity out of a dozen total job listings. The others? Lures. Every one. Criminals are trying to increase the odds of getting what they want by casting a wide net.
Craig's List employs people behind the scenes to delete illegitimate ads, in any category. Unfortunately, this latest problem has gone so far that these monitors obviously can't keep up.
In some areas, frustrated job seekers are taking a vigilante approach. They're trying to confirm as many illegitimate job ads as possible, and then posting warning messages on Craig's List exposing the phonies.
Some would-be victims are posting disgusted editorials on Craig's List, asking publicly why Craig's List isn't doing more to screen job posters. And it's an excellent question.
One simple way to discourage fake job posters would be to charge a fee for listing employment opportunities. It would weed out the majority of scammers. In some large cities, Craig's List does charge a $25 fee to advertise a job opportunity. However, for every geographic area in which there's a fee, there are at least a dozen suburban areas in which the advertising remains free. With no fee, it's ridiculously easy to post hundreds of these ads, all over the country, every day. And that's exactly what the scammers are doing.
Meanwhile, job-seekers continue to do their best to discern the few real ads from the many fake ones. It isn't always easy, but here are some tips that might help:
PROTECT YOURSELF: Spotting Phony Job Ads on Craig's List
-- BAD GRAMMAR. Many of these fake ads reveal bad grammar, poor punctuation, incorrect capitalization, sloppy spacing, and inappropriate use of "big words". Most people who post real job ads -- office managers and recruiters -- are capable of composing an ad that's grammatically correct and to-the-point. If it reads like it was written by a moron, it's probably a fake.
-- BIG WORDS & FLOWERY VOCAB. As more job-seekers catch on to these scams, scammers are working harder to fake us out. Consider it a red flag when the ad contains unnecessarily fancy, "business-y" vocabulary. If it reads like they're trying too hard, they ARE. They're trying to scam YOU.
-- OVERLY DETAILED, LIKE A RESUME. If the job description seems overly detailed to you, pause. Does it read like the kind of thing a job-hunter would put on his resume, to describe how specifically qualified he is for the job? There's a good chance that what you're reading was stolen from somebody's real resume. Scammers collect resumes from suckered-in victims and recycle the text to make their ads sound "real". They don't have time to do all that composing from scratch.
-- NAME, BUT NO NUMBER. There's at least one busy scammer who works a real-sounding name into his ads, writing something like, "Call Anne Green to apply", usually at the bottom of the ad -- but there's no phone number provided with which to call "Anne Green". The name is meant to make the ad sound genuine. It isn't. This isn't an employer who simply "forgot" to include a phone number. This is a scammer who had no intention of ever including one -- he just wants to snow you.
-- REAL-SOUNDING COMPANY NAME, ADDRESS, OR OFFICE PARK NAME -- This is the newest trick. Scammers put the name of the (fake) company in the ad to make it sound more real. If you took the time to google the company name, you'd probably find it was fake. If it's real, then you can phone that company and ask for confirmation that their ad on Craig's List is legit. If it isn't, that company's got a great legal case against that scammer -- you should tell them about it.
Variations on this technique include "casually" naming a company address (example: "We need a secretary for our office at 13 Corporate Circle in Jerseyville") and throwing in the name of an office park -- all done to take advantage of you at this high point in your life. Besides, think about it -- most legitimate employers don't want to be flooded with phone calls and drop-in applicants. They tend to be more protective of their identities and locations until they're sure about who they want to interview.
-- ASKING YOU TO HURRY. Any ad that encourages you to apply quickly is probably a scam. Believe me, unemployment is so high right now, NO employer needs to ask applicants to rush. The minute an ad hits the web, it'll have more responses than the advertiser can handle. So phrases like "Apply immediately" and "Send resume right away" hint at a fake ad.
-- UNREALISTIC WAGES/SALARIES. Some scammers are still using this old trick: they advertise wages or salaries that are way higher than the going rate. If it seems too good to be true, it probably is. Remember, their goal is to attract as many people as possible. They're trying to do everything they can to make you respond to them, including dangling dollar signs before your eyes.
-- TOO HARD A SELL. Again, the market is flooded with job applicants. Right now, no employer needs to sell themselves to you. If the ad seems like they're trying hard to make themselves look like a desirable place to work, it's probably a fake. Employers have their pick of qualified, educated, desperate job applicants. They do NOT need to expend so much energy crafting salesmanly language in their job ads.
-- GMAIL, YAHOO, "ROCKETMAIL" E-MAIL ADDRESSES. If the ad is asking you to respond to an e-mail address through Gmail, Yahoo, or any other free e-mail hosting service, chances are, the ad is totally phony. Scammers like to create free e-mail accounts which they can use liberally and hide behind for their scamming activities. Real employers most likely wouldn't publish an e-mail address. Craig's List allows them to anonymize their address when you respond directly to the ad anyway. This is usually a dead giveaway to a fake ad.
-- SCAMMER'S FAVORITE PHRASES. There are some very prolific scammers out there who tend to re-use the same tired phrases. If you know what some of them are, you can spot a fake ad instantly. For example:
-- Leader in the industry. One scammer just LOVES to open his ads with the following phrase: "Over the last decade our company has become a leader in ______ industry. Our reputation has been achieved by having an effective response to our clients needs and by utilizing the proper industry procedures. Now that we are expanding we are seeking some extra help." If you see this phrase of something similar bragging about how the company is a "leader" in its industry, run.
-- Gym membership and company outings. One lazy, unimaginative scammer still pulls this one: his job supposedly includes a "gym membership" and the additional benefit of "company outings". If you see that combo, trust me -- it's a scam.
-- For every hour? Another hard-working scammer uses the phrase "$___ for every hour" to describe wages. People just don't say it like that. For e-ver-y hour? No. This is a scammer trying to make his ad sound more wordy and "professional", but if you see this phrase, either in the body of the ad or in the small print towards the bottom, don't respond.
-- 10$, 11$, 12$... One scammer has a tendency to put the "$" sign after the number in the hourly pay rate, either in the body of the ad or in the small-print section towards the bottom of the ad. For example, "12$" instead of "$12".
When you recognize a suspicious ad, do your fellow job-hunters a favor -- use the "flag" function in the upper right corner of the ad to let Craig's List know it's "prohibited". In theory, Craig's List will delete flagged ads, although this doesn't seem to be happening lately. Perhaps the more flags Craig's List receives, the more likely they'll be to act against these scammers.
* * *
None of the above clues guarantees that a job ad is fake, but they're pretty reliable red flags.
If you decide to take your chances and respond to a job ad on Craig's List, a good guideline is to avoid filling in any electronic forms.
Also, don't purchase anything that was introduced to you by way of a job ad, especially a credit report.
When communicating with a potential employer, let them know you'll be happy to provide your resume and other personal information if he or she can provide a way for you to confirm that the opportunity is legitimate. Ask for the name of the company and the name of someone specific there who can confirm the ad is real. Then, look the phone number up yourself online, independently, and ask for that person through the main switchboard. Don't use the number provided by e-mail. A scammer could have you calling his cell phone and pretending to be anybody, and say anything.
You might consider writing to Craig's List and suggesting ways that they might fight back against this problem. They have become the primary tool for these crooks, and it's in their best interest to stop this. People will eventually stop using Craig's List as a resource if its reputation is so badly eroded by crooks.
Finally, if you know how, consider promoting the cause of catching and prosecuting these soulless people who are preying on the unemployed.
Good luck, and be safe out there!
-- Kim Brittingham
SEE ALSO, "Stupid Things Scammers Do in Fake Job Ads on Craig's List"
SEE ALSO, "Resume on Monster, HotJobs? Beware!"
* Want to keep up with what I'm doing? Before ya go, sign up for my mailing list! I'll never steal your identity, and I don't send stupid spam.
* Seeking permission to reprint this article? Drop me a line: hello@kimwrites.com
This is so true. I am a desperate job seeker myself and have been a victim of these fake/phony ads on multiple times. I am Craigslist fan though, so I can definately say that Craigslist should do some verification prior to posting these ads on their site.
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with this being said, i have a rather plain default email that i send when inquiring about a position, if the "employer" can not provide answers to the questions i ask then i disgard the "employer".
always in my email when inquiring about a position i ask:
1. The hours
2. The location
3. Company name
if they are unable to provide me with an answer to these questions then its "see ya"
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Hi Kim
Thank you so much for sharing this very important info. I am amazed at how desperate people can be to do such horrible things to other people. REALLY? Maybe they could find some volunteer work to do and make the world a better place instead of a worse place. I will look at your facebook page to see if you put this there and share it. So kind of you to get this out there. Keep up the good work in changing attitudes in our world Kim. May good karma come your way.
Becky
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Becky,
Thanks for mentioning the volunteer option. I've been doing that myself. Any able-bodied person, especially one with skills, can be making themselves useful right now to all kinds of worthy causes. It's also a great way to fend off depression and despair, which is so common among the unemployed. It gets you out of the house, keeps you interacting with other people, and in many cases, helps keep your skills sharp.
I encourage everyone to visit www.volunteermatch.com!
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I think the correct address is www.volunteermatch.org.
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Why is when you post for a job, there is no common courtesy to put a legit name, address, phone or website. I have run across this many times when I put an ad in looking for a job and 9 times out of 10 I get scammed.
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Unfortunately, even though at first blush this seems like a logical solution, it isn't the best one for the companies posting legit job opportunities. A lot of companies don't want hundreds of people jamming up their switchboards, showing up at their office with a resume and trying to get an audience with an HR manager, etc. That could happen if a hiring company posts their name and location.
I think the better option is for Craig's List to charge for job posts, and maybe even do some simple screening/confirmation. They already do it in some large markets (New York City, Philadelphia). They need to make it standard practice across the board.
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I agree CL needs better screening, they could require company info that isn't published and A small fee to seal the deal. This such a dispicable problem for such a great site to be plagued by:(
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I appreciate your information, but how do you know that in fact these are fake. Perhaps the person writing the employment ad isn't experienced in this area of business. What is your secret to finding out it is a scam? If I was someone legit advertising for an open position and I saw SCAM next to it I would be very upset.
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It's entirely your call whether or not you want to answer any particular ad. Like I said above, you have to look at combined aspects of the ad and decide for yourself if you think it's fake -- there are no guarantees.
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One big clue that a job posting is fake is, when they contact you, they want to send you upfront money. They say they are sending more than you asked for, and want you to send the balance to someone else.
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@ Nancy...
Maybe you have been a better user on CL than most people have in the last two years on surfing the web, my only question to you is if none of these ads ask you to pay for something or spam you, how come you still looking for a job??
Either you are not so numb at the front of your computer to know that 98% ads on craigslist is absolution fake..and even the things that are free..
You just might have to adjust to your surroundings and notice that they are out here, to get us and including yourself.
Kudos to Kim..
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Kim, you have no idea how much you are helping people. You saved me from a scam.
Thanks for taking your time to help others.
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Thanks Kim,
Your article was very informative. I really appreciate your insight. I have been dealing with these "scammers" since the summer of 08'. It actually didn't take me too long to figure out what was really up. Thankfully though, I know better than to send any "personal identity" information. There is no where in the "books" that says you have to supply a potential employer with credit information, before landing a FORMAL interview. I'm thankful you took the time to write such an excellent report on this sad situation, so others don't fall victim.
Yours Truly,
Tracey
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I work for a state employment agency. 1) If I believe the ad is suspicious, I will not enter any info in the subject line, nor in the body of the message, but I will just hit the "send" button. Kinda like using those postage-paid envelopes to reply to a company.
2) Don't forget that you can Google a phone number and see what other hits is associated with that number. I find this particularly helpful when asked to reply to a fax number. Many times the fax number will reveal an address, business name, etc.
HTH
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Hi Kim,
Thanks for sharing your insight concerning spotting fake Craigslist job ads. It's unfortunate that scammers are taking over this otherwise useful resource! 95% of the job listings I've encountered are spam/overpost entries, no mention of the town/city job location, EVER! And as you said, ridiculous amounts of money being wagged in front of the job-seeker.Craigslist needs to do something. Many people like myself don't have the desire to search their ads anymore. It has become a waste of time.
-Barbara
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The previous post on CL JOB SCAMMERS was right on target and well said.
For those new to CL, the post was filled with tips on what to look for before you waste your time responding.
All of us who allow it, can become targets for scams. Background, education and street smarts dont mean a thing when they hit us where we are most vulnerable......they seem to be meeting our needs and/or desires for employment. All of us, including me, have fallen for the "Looking for A Assistant" and learned quickly that it didnt exist.
Scammers manipulate us by pushing our buttons. They know we are out of work, trying to support our families and they seem to be getting the automatic responses from us that they want. They are smart (sometimes) because they know we are emotionally wired and they prey on that.
Craigslist Admin, flagging and even consumer protection agencies can only do so much even after scams are brought to their attention. The psychological triggers are there and we get caught up in them.
Dont give up searching, there are legitimate companies and businesses posting. It is not a reflection of our poor judgement or gulibility. It just show how good they are at manipulation.
My advice? Learn to recognize the bastards for what they are, keep a clear head when deciding to send your resume, and dont give up. Keep flagging them!!!!!
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The list goes on and on. . .
Just today:
"Applicant needs to be able to complete daily workload." Duh! (A) Are they gonna hire someone who doesn't complete the daily workload. (B - even better) The APPLICANT needs to do this? I don't think so. Maybe HIRE ME first and THEN I will do some work.
"New Receptionist Job Available" Really? Why not "Old Receptionist Job Available"?
"Candidate needs to show up to work" (A) Are they gonna hire someone to not show up OR to show up to do something other than work? (B - even better) I doubt that a CANDIDATE will show up to work. . .but perhaps an EMPLOYEE?
"Punctual to work" - no comment
"dental assistant". . ."Be able to type 65 wpm and have experience in Excel, Word and Outlook" Umm. . .what do these requirements have to do with being a dental assistant? And, better yet, why is this posted under the "sales" category? (I'm really chuckling over this one.)
"Recession proof" - no such thing in today's economy! Even if it's working at a funeral home, NO job is secure. If you see those words: RUN!
Doncha love the postings for blue collar jobs that request resumes or, even worse, CV's? Are you kidding me?
And, really, we are not that gullible: "coachable," "smiling," "competent" - you can pretty it up with lovely adjectives, but we DO recognize this ad that is posted almost daily in every possible category.
I'm really tired, too, of legitimate companies posting their ads in the wrong geographical area (or just New Jersey or South Jersey). If job-seekers are willing to travel 45-60+ minutes, then let them look in other geographical categories - but the job posters shouldn't waste the time of the majority of us job-seekers. There are categories for Central Jersey (clearly not South Jersey) and Jersey Shore (okay, this one has blurred lines). E.g., Boston; Korea; New Brunswick, Iselin (I'm REALLY tired of seeing this one), Bergen County (hello? I was raised there & it's a hundred miles away from Cherry Hill area), Rahway, Piscataway, Newark, Jersey City, North Jersey; West Chester, Horsham, Bala Cynwyd, Ft. Washington.
And I'm really, REALLY tired of job-seekers posting in the "jobs" category. The ones by attorneys, teachers and tutors - who really ought to be able to read, no? - especially get me. I'm also annoyed by those who just keep re-posting, apparently because they just don't get it, especially in the medical category. But I'm particularly pissed off by those who KNOW it's the incorrect place and do it anyway, sometimes repeatedly.
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I'm sorry, but, other than a few exceptions such as individuals who are seeking to hire someone to perform Home Health Aide/Companion services for a loved one, ANY LEGITIMATE company should be up front and center with identifying itself and providing a "real" e-mail address (although a fax number does legitimize it, I don't have a fax machine at home, but I OBVIOUSLY have computer access - I found the posting online, didn't I? - so can respond via e-mail; a legitimate phone number is pointless - when you call, they always ask you to e-mail/fax a resume). I read ALL the postings in ALL categories at least twice a day; if no "real" e-mail address, fax number or phone number (with exception noted above), it is probably spam/scam and, along with the incorrect geographic area or job-seeker posting, I flag it (yes, indeed, that's probably close to 90% - which is really sad how spammers try to take advantage of us unemployed/underemployed folks). If it is legitimate and they just goofed, let 'em fix it and re-post. Ditto for legitimate posters who fail to include a location; there are parts of South Jersey that are an hour away from me (e.g., Vineland) - farther than I want to travel - and I'm not going to respond unless I know where the potential employer is located.
And, of course, a hex on Kirby Vacuum and all similar posters.
If it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck, I doubt that that web-footed being magically became a legitimate job posting.
To the job posters who treat employees badly and/or have a bad working environment (especially in the food category, such as Cafe Aldo Lamberti and Adelphia Restaurant), as much as I don't like the listings to be overloaded with "chatter," I do appreciate that we job-seekers are looking out for one another.
To the job posters who overpost by listing in multiple categories (get real and post under only the one or two categories that are appropriate) and/or over and over again (hire and fire, hire and fire? or, are you just so bad an employer that your employees quit after a short time?), this is a big red flag.
Lastly, to the legitimate posters: stop insulting us with pay scales that are so far below what is fair and reasonable for what they are seeking (even adjusted to today's horrific job market). I'm tired of the chat room-like responses in the skilled trade category (and similar categories), but I do empathize - it's true for so many of us.
P.S. I sincerely doubt that any legitimate business will post 6-figure jobs in craiglist.
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here is what I have learned:
any craig listing posted between 9:00PM and 6:00AM is probably bogus.
Always, send an email requesting info on the position, use a different email other than the one on your resume.
watch for the $amount...if it is too good, then it is not real. Wages have gone down.
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One word about e-mail addresses though. The church where I work uses gmail for their e-mail and when I got this job, they had advertised it on Craigslist. I knew about it ahead of time though because the supervisor at my last job heard about the job opening and encouraged me to apply here since I was being laid off. Plus my boss uses hotmail for his personal e-mail, so not all jobs listing gmail addresses or hotmail e-mail addresses are fake ads. I have noticed though that the fake ads tend to post the location as the Craigslist heading for the page....ie Receptionist Wanted - Hudson Valley. If they are posting the ad with the location being the page area heading, rather than a particular city or town where the job is, it's probably a fake.
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Kim
Any comment on the hundreds of staffing agencies popping up on the internet?
I find it hard to believe that they are all legitimate too. My pet peeve is NES Staffing.
Every time they send a job alert the positions are no longer available or the posted positions send you to another job site. It's infuriating!
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Dear Kim:
Nice article, you have informed us job seekers , as well as the SCAMMERS. Now us job seekers will have to be even more scrupulous
when applying. I will assume you did not think of this.
Have a good day,
B.A.
1 Attached Images
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Thank you for the warnings, but more so, THANK YOU FOR THE LAUGHS!
TOTALLY TRUE!
especially that stupid reoccurring one for "A Administrative Assistant". That was making me nuts because I HATE when people us "a" in front of a vowel, and I thought if their grammar is worse than mine (which ain't so bad), then I do not want to work there!
AND the whole different contact thing, I thought, what, do they change the hiring manager daily? Or is this a revolving door of people, NO THANKS!
While it may be true that the"SCAMMERS" could read your entry, I am sure they are too stupid to realize their own faults!
ANYWAY, ITS COOL THAT YOU WARN PEOPLE!
THANKS FOR ALL OF THE HELPFUL TIPS, AND I TOTALLY AGREE WITH VOLUNTARY WORK!
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Great blog post, I'm glad people are out there warning job hunters about these fraudulent ads. I discovered them the hard way, by filling out applications that I didn't know where phony. Luckily, all I got from that was spam.
One valuable tip I can give you is to Google an email address if you think that it's fake. As Kim mentioned, Gmail, Yahoo, and Rocketmail addresses are more often than not fake. To see if they are, Google the address. If you see it posted on multiple Craigslists, then the person making those ads is obviously a scammer.
I found a very good way to eliminate many scammers. Flakelist, http://www.flakelist.com/, has an extensive database of people who are known scammers, spammers, and flakes. To report someone, go to the site, register for a free account, click "Report A Flake," and fill in the required info. After someone is posted on that site, if you Google their info, the first or second entry that comes up is their name being on the Flakelist. By adding that person to the Flakelist database, you've essentially blacklisted them.
I hope I have presented useful advice to everyone. Good luck job hunting, and try not to get scammed!
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The correct address is: flakelist.org
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I agree with the posting about the Kirby Co. I tried it for 4 days putting in extremely long hours. The phone number was legit, and the posting said $1600 monthly salary. but after a few days I found out that if I miss my quota by even one I would not get paid a penny for my time and effort.
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I absolutely agree about this and I am looking for a job but how can you tell if a ad is real or fake because I cannot tell and don't want to reply to something that is fake?
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Did you even READ this blog?
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Has anybody else stopped to think that maybe the reason Craig's List is so quick to remove flagged scam warnings by regular people, but not scam job posts, is because without all those scam posts, the job boards would basically be empty? Because there are almost no legitimate jobs on Craig's, maybe one a day on a good day. So think about it. If the job boards looked empty, then some people might get the impression that nobody uses the Craig's List job boards and would stop coming to them. So maybe Craig's List keeps them up there just to make themselves look busy and well used. Meanwhile, they're screwing us over.
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Dear Ms. Brittigham:
Thank you for this article! I am currently seeking a job and a friend told me about Craigslist. My experience has been sweet and sour because most of the time what they want me to do is apply for a college degree or get a credit report. I still think that Craigslist is good but we need to get rid of all scams. Once again, thank you, and keep on the good effort!!
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Thank you so much for this post - which, by the way, I found because of a post on Craigslist!
Here are a few things I have been doing to protect myself:
1) I use a gmail account for my resume, but there is no identifying info - I even went into my account settings so that it only shows my email name (not my real name) when it is sent to someone.
2) I have a confidential text version of my resume that I copy and paste directly into the email. There are only position types, general duties and lengths of employment - no company name, no city, no identifying information. I admit up front that it is intended to be confidential due to the scams on Craigslist and that I would be happy to send a full version once I can verify the legitimacy of the posting.
3) If I send an email and IMMEDIATELY get a response back - 99% of the time it is a scam!! I then go back into Craigslist and flag it.
Looking for a job IS a full-time job! But if I can do my part to stop these scum-of-the-earth types, then I am helping to make the world a better place - one posting at a time.
As pointed out by Kim and several others here - there are legitimate postings on Craigslist. Unfortunately, I am still looking, but I know the right job is out there!
Thanks again for your posting.
Happy hunting everyone!
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You cant imagine how relieved I was to see this article by Kim verifying my suspicions of what was going on with job replies; being so new to using on-line job searches. I also appreciate the individuals who actually post a scam alert on craigslist as a warning. Thank you. With all this justification, I have started recognizing scam sites and do the following to alleviate my frustration: You know all that chain letter crap you get from friends in your emails? I use the scammers initial reply email address and forward the chainletters or just a two-worded comment (NO, NOT THAT): "Nice Scam"!!!!
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I actually did get an interview for a job thru Craigslist before Christmas. The interviewer told me it was expensive to post on Monster, etc. Seems the scams have gotten much worse in the last 6 weeks. The scams are the red flags when they don't give company name, but ask for credit check/background check. I write back once asking for link to company web site and based on my long employment history, I do no feel a background check is necessary at this time. When you get the exact same "canned" message back, you can write them off. But I do save, since I am wasting my time and need to account for job searching in order to collect unemployment.
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Another way you can detect a scammer is when they post a link and ask you to click on it and fill out the application form. That's so bogus! So what I do is that I only send a cover letter and if they are legitimate and really are interested in me working with them they would write back and let me know that I've forgotten to send through my resume. I tested one yesterday and the guy wrote back and said that he liked what he saw in my resume (!!) and that he needed me to hurry and click on a link to continue my application. Thanks for the alert on Craigslist
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I just got a really sad e-mail from a lady who got scammed for more than $3,000. But not through a Craig's List job ad -- through a CHAT SERVICE. Someone befriended her, pretended to help her with her job search, sent her some bogus form and in short, got away with several grand.
I don't use chat services so I don't know what this would look like, but I wanted to let you know to keep your eyes open in other corners of the web.
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There are a lot of scam job posts on Craigslist where there is a gmail, ymail, yahoo email and even one for live.com addresses within the ad for you to send your resume' to. Don't respond to these, either. They are ALL SCAMS!!
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Thank you for posting this on CraigsList.
FYI, they also do interviews via Yahoo chat or MSN Chat.
They try to become your best friend.
They send you a document that looks like an official offer for work.
Most of the time these offers actually come out of Nigeria. Another one of their money making scams.
The reason I say this is that it happened to me last summer and cost me $3400, a very expensive lesson.
It is amazing how they continue to do this time after time.
If a person thinks they are getting scammed they should report the scam to the FBI internet scam site.
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I did find a job my last one on craigslist and have gone on a few interviews but I am noticing more and more fake ones. I email where on LI and they email me back thank you for your resume but we need more information since you will be dealing with our credit cards. I delete and report but nothing seems to stop them. I have been unemployed 10 months and my unemployment runs out in 5 weeks i never thought i would even collect for 26 weeks. something must be done. your right. thanks for letting me vent.
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What has this world come to. It's a shame what we have to put up with in order to try and get a job. People just don't care. When jobs state anything over $12/hr it's usually a scam, because nobody in Myrtle Beach pays that high, so there's a clue in itself. I'm so tired of looking in this site, it's usually a disappointment. Before I send now I goggle it to see if it's a real company. This was a great article you wrote.
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One trick I use is to search by a particular city. Our craigslist is called "inland empire" There are 30 cities here, so the ads that say only "inland empire" are always scams. They just simply use whatever craigslist uses to call that area and use the same name of the area they are posting in.
Search by city!
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Hello Kim:
I just got done reading your article entitled Crooks Victimize the unemployed with phony job ads on Craig's List. I wanted to let you know that yesterday I came across an article online from the Better business Bureau which lists the top 10 scams and rip-offs of 2009. Job Hunter scams was #5 on the list.
There is one company that has advertised on craigslist called the YLD Corp. where when you respond to an ad they send you an email saying that they need to check your credit report before they can schedule an interview. I do not give out personal information like this to anyone to do not know especially online. I do know last week in Newsday someone asked the question if this was legal. The answer is only if you had a face to face interview with a person from a legit company. It seems nowadays that when it comes to face to face interviews they want to check a person's credit history. I reported this phony firm to Craigslist, AOL, & the BBB but never heard from any of them. Also the impression I get is that whomever runs a scam online obviously isn't working for a business. The person probably knows how to make websites of bogus companies just to steal personal info.
I do recall a few years ago on Dateline they had a feature on online scams and the area most originate from is Nigeria.
In conclusion, the way I see it, the scammer may or may not get busted. They will probably just come up with another bogus company website to scam people.
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Hi, this was an excellent post. I set up my own fake e-mail addy, send an e-mail, without going through the fuss of attaching my resume or even typing a message. It's a fake address, so it would never be associated with my official address. If a listing looks even the slightest bit fishy, I follow through with this procedure and 9 times out of 10 I get a bogus e-mail back.
One thing that a bunch of people are doing is flagging any listings that have vague locations for example "Adnimistravite Asistent (North Jersey)" (O.K. the mispelling is slightly exaggerated.) Thanks for keeping everyone aware. I found this through a post on Craigs List.
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My opinion is that Craigslist could put a big dent in false adds if it wanted to. It could require company name, phone number and address and a fee. They are aware of the issue since they post disclaimers on job search categories. I believe they do not wish to filter out the scams and wish to keep their posting numbers up.
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I have gotten a few jobs from CL, unfortunately it is becoming more overrun with the "scammer" posts. However I've never had a problem figuring the real posts from the fake ones, its like the saying goes...a fool and his money are soon parted. CL is Darwinism at its finiest
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