With hundreds of thousands of Arizonans still waiting to get back to work, Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich says scammers are using the opportunity to steal money and personal information from consumers.
Brnovich’s office released a statement Tuesday, saying residents should take steps to properly verify a potential employer’s identity.
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“Work-from-home scams target your money and your information,” they said. “The supposed ’employer’ may post on social media or career websites, conduct interviews, and may appear legitimate on first impression. After initial contact, they likely will ask you to send money to purchase training, software, or merchandise that they claim you will need to be employed by them. Alternatively, they may send you a fraudulent check and then ask you to purchase something for them or to route money somewhere else.”
Brnovich’s office has been made aware of scams in Arizona posting fake work-from-home opportunities.
The Better Business Bureau has long-warned of work-from-home opportunities coming off as too-good-to-be-true, saying legitimate employers don’t require any sort of fees or investments as a condition of employment. Most of these types of schemes often do. The attorney general’s office also warns against accepting to hold money on behalf of the employer or giving out financial information as a precondition for an interview.
Brnovich’s office has some guidelines to safeguard against this particular scam.
• Research the company and the job.
• If a company appears legitimate or uses a logo that you recognize, go to that company’s website directly to see if the job is advertised on the careers or employment page.
• Independently locate and speak with someone at the company before an interview.
• Ask detailed questions about the job, employer, management, and pay structure.
Consumers who think they’ve fallen victim to a work-from-home fraud can file a complaint at the Attorney General’s website or can have a complaint form sent to them by calling their offices in Phoenix at 602-542-5763, in Tucson at 520-628-6648, or outside the Phoenix and Tucson metro areas at 800-352-8431.
