An alleged business is using a real New York City company to trick hopeful job seekers into what looks to be a remote talent scheme.
The Better Business Bureau serving Canton Region and Greater West Virginia warns consumers to exercise caution when doing business with Pearl Talent. While there is a legitimate Pearl Talent based in Metro NY, consumers are being affected by an employment scam spoofing its name.
Consumers in West Virginia contacted BBB Scam Tracker when they thought something seemed ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œoffÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ about the job they had just been hired to do. Affected consumers were reached via text message by someone claiming to be ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œKatherine from Pearl Talent.ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ In the messages, ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œKatherineÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ told the recipients the recruiting agency was impressed with their profile and would like to provide the chance to take on a flexible remote role.
The role was to assist merchants by updating their data, improving their visibility and managing bookings effectively, and only required 60 to 90 minutes of remote work each day with the opportunity to earn anywhere from $200 to $500.
In a typical employment scam scheme, scammers convincingly claim to represent real employers, require interviews and even provide phony offer letters. You apply for a job online through a reputable, third-party job-seeking site, or you see a posting for a remote job on social media and message the poster. A few days or weeks later, you get a text message or email asking if you are still interested in the position or a similar one at the same company. Since you made your contact information available to your potential employer when applying, the message doesnÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™t strike you as unusual.
If you reply to the message, the scammer will invite you to interview for the job. However, this is when red flags start to appear. Instead of a traditional interview over the phone or on a video call, the ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œemployerÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ asks you to download a messaging app to conduct the interview over text messaging.
If you send money or share your personal details, it will now be in the hands of scammers. YouÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™re unlikely to get your money back, and your shared personal information puts you at risk of identity theft.
BBB offers the following tips for avoiding potential employment scams:
Visit or call 330-454-9401 to look up a business, file a complaint, write a customer review, read tips, find events and more.
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