"Impersonation is another popular tactic used by scammers who utilize online platforms to perpetrate their scams. Most who reported employment scams said they continued to engage with the scammer because it sounded legitimate," the report said. "Fraudsters promote fake jobs by impersonating well-known companies. By far the most impersonated employer was Amazon, followed by Walmart."
These are some of the tips the Better Business Bureau offered for avoiding job scams:
• Always do background research on the job offer, including a search for the job listing on the company’s website.
• Be wary of work-from-home, shipping/warehouse opportunities or "secret shopper" positions. Sixty-five percent of fake job offers were related to becoming a “warehouse redistribution coordinator,” the report said.
• Watch out for on-the-spot job offers. Beware offers made too quickly or without an interview.
• Be wary of offers that seem too good to be true. "Scammers promise work-from-home jobs, higher salaries and flexible opportunities if you pay for coaching, training, certifications or directories," the report said.
• Realize that even if you do the work, it still may be a scam. Thirty-two percent of those who reported employment scams said they did work before they realized it was a fraud.
The Better Business Bureau’s report examined findings from an April 2020 survey of 10,670 U.S. and Canadian consumers who reported employment scams to BBB Scam Tracker.