Online Job Hunting Scams !

"If it looks too good to be true, it probably is."  Whether you are searching for a new job through  Monster or other websites, keep in mind that the same technological innovations that help in your  job search may be used by cyber-criminals looking to lure job seekers into questionable job "opportunities." Monster, the worldwide leader in the online recruitment industry , makes protecting job seekers a top priority.  While Monster continually monitors its network and database  to detect and terminate fraudulent access or job postings,  keep in mind that Monster's primary purpose is to serve  as an open forum for employers to advertise open positions  and a service for job seekers to  broadcast their qualifications to interested employers.  We work hard to ensure that only appropriate parties  (such as employers) have access, but neither we nor any  other online recruitment company can guarantee that  inappropriate parties will not gain access to a posted resume.  Accordingly, we'd like to remind you of what you can do to  help keep yourself safe during a job search. Know What to Avoid Some employment scams appear as job postings or classifieds while others may target victims with  an offer through an unsolicited email.  Below are the most common scams you may see: Money-Laundering Scams Money launderers often create job descriptions  that offer commissions or pay as high as $2000 per day  to process checks on behalf of foreign nationals.  They are recruiting local citizens to "process payments" or "transfer funds," because as  foreign nationals, they can't do it themselves.  The image below is an example of a money  laundering scam hidden behind what appears  to be an offer of employment. Learn more about money laundering scams here. » Reshipping Scams Reshipping, or postal forwarding, scams typically  require job seekers to receive stolen goods in their  own homes -- frequently consumer electronics -- and  then forward the packages, often outside the United States.  Those who fall for reshipping scams may be liable for  shipping charges and even the cost of goods  purchased online with  stolen credit cards.  Read more about reshipping scams here. » Pre-pay/Work at Home Scams Although there are genuine jobs working at home,  many "offers" are not valid forms of employment  and may have the simple goal of obtaining an initial  monetary investment from the victim. Using claims  such as 'be your own boss' and 'make money quickly',  Work at Home scams will not guarantee regular salaried  employment and almost always require an "up-front"  investment of money for products or  instructions before explaining  how the plan works.  Find out more about avoiding these scams. » Protect Yourself What seems like a lucrative job offer could cost you your  savings and more.  Learn to identify the signals of an employment scam to  protect yourself. When conducting a job search: Look for signals in a job posting or email offer,  which could serve as an indicator that what is  being presented as employment is not legitimate.  Don't get involved with an employer that can't make  its business model perfectly clear to you or one that's  willing to hire you without even a phone interview.  Do your own research on any employer that makes  you feel at all uneasy. Never put your social security or national ID number,  credit card number, bank account number or any type  of sensitive personal identification data in your resume.  You should never share any personal information with a  prospective employer, even if they suggest that it is for  a "routine background check", until you are confident that  the employer and employment opportunity is legitimate.  Use Monster's resume visibility options to  'Be Safe'. Do not engage in any transaction in which  you are requested  to transfer or exchange currency or funds to a  prospective employer.  Remain alert for the Work at Home employers who  require you to  make an up-front investment. Be cautious when dealing with  individuals/companies from  outside your own country. If you see a questionable job posting or suspect misuse of the  Monster website or its brand, please  report the suspected fraud to Monster. If you think you have been a victim of fraud, immediately report the fraud  to your local police and contact Monster, so steps can be taken to ensure  your safety. We also recommend that you file an online report with  The Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3), a partnership between  the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the National White Collar Crime Center (NW3C).  For more information on how to conduct a safe job search, visit Monster's Security Center. You can also check out  LooksTooGoodToBeTrue.com and the consumer resources provided by the  Federal Trade Commission (FTC). Best regards, The Monster Team