Avoid Employment Fraud

WARNING: RECRUITMENT FRAUD ALERT

It has come to our attention that individuals are claiming to be representatives of PEAK and contacting job seekers, then offering them fake employment opportunities in exchange for payment or personal information. 

ADDITIONAL CONTENT REGARDING RECRUITMENT FRAUD

Please note that PEAK does not charge any fees or solicit personal information from job applicants during our recruitment process. We also do not ask for payment or deposit in order to secure a job offer. 

Any communication from a PEAK recruiter or employee will always have the address domain of fnamelname@peaktechnical.com  If you receive an email from a different domain, it is probably someone attempting to pose as a PEAK employee.   

If you receive a job offer from someone claiming to be affiliated with PEAK and are asked for payment or personal information, please do not provide any such details, and report the incident to us immediately at security@peaktechnical.com. 

Please be cautious and vigilant when dealing with unsolicited job offers and ensure that you verify the authenticity of the recruiter and the job opportunity before providing any personal information or payment. 

REPORTING:  Whether or not you responded to the scam, please forward the message (with the email headers) to security@peaktechnical.com. We will also keep track of any other information you submit about the scammers, such as their phone numbers. If you were emailed a check or other materials, please forward them. If you responded to a fake online job ad, please provide us with the URL and a screenshot of the fake job ad. 

Thank you for your attention to this matter. 

Signs that can help someone recognize recruitment fraud:

Unsolicited job offers: If you receive an unsolicited job offer, especially from a company you have never heard of before, it may be a sign of recruitment fraud. 

Request for payment: If you are asked to pay money in order to secure a job, it is likely a scam. Legitimate employers will never ask you to pay for a job. 

Request for personal information: If you are asked to provide personal information, such as your Social Security number, bank account information, or credit card details, it could be a sign of a scam. Legitimate employers typically only request this information after they have extended a job offer. 

Vague job descriptions: If the job description is too vague or seems too good to be true, it may be a sign of fraud. Scammers may use fake job postings to entice people to provide personal information or payment. 

Email address or domain: Check the email address and domain of the company sending the job offer. Fraudulent recruiters may use email addresses or domains that are similar to legitimate companies but with slight differences. 

Unprofessional communication: If the communication is unprofessional or contains spelling and grammar errors, it may be a sign of fraud. Legitimate employers typically communicate in a professional and courteous manner. 

Pressure to accept the job quickly: If you are pressured to accept the job quickly without having time to think about it or research the company, it may be a scam. 

If you encounter any of these signs, it’s best to be cautious and take the time to investigate the job offer and the company before providing any personal information or payment. 

CURRENT SCAMS

Recruitment fraud is an ever-evolving type of fraud, and scammers are constantly coming up with new tactics to scam unsuspecting job seekers. Here are some of the current scams being used in recruitment fraud: 

• Fake job postings: Scammers create fake job postings on legitimate job sites or create their own fake job sites to lure in job seekers. They may use the name and logo of a real company to make their scam look more legitimate. 
• Phishing emails: Scammers send phishing emails that appear to be from legitimate companies, asking job seekers to provide personal information, such as their Social Security number or bank account information. 

• Advance fee scams: Scammers promise job seekers a job in exchange for payment. They may ask for payment for a background check, training, or equipment needed for the job. 
• Work-at-home scams: Scammers advertise work-at-home jobs that sound too good to be true. They may promise high pay for simple work, but then require the job seeker to pay for training or equipment. 
• Job offer scams: Scammers send job offers to job seekers that require them to provide personal information, such as their bank account or Social Security number, before they can start the job. 
• Impersonation scams: Scammers may impersonate a legitimate recruiter or hiring manager and contact job seekers directly. They may ask for personal information or payment to secure a job offer. 

It’s important to be cautious when applying for jobs and to do your research on the company and the job posting before providing any personal information or payment. If you encounter any suspicious activity, report it immediately to the appropriate authorities. 

HOW TO REPORT RECRUITMENT FRAUD

If you believe you have encountered recruitment fraud, you should report it immediately. Here are some steps you can take to report recruitment fraud: 

• Contact the company: If you received the fraudulent job offer from a company that you believe is legitimate, contact them to report the incident. They may have a fraud department that can investigate the matter. 

If you receive a job offer from someone claiming to be affiliated with PEAK and are asked for payment or personal information, please do not provide any such details, and report the incident to us immediately at security@peaktechnical.com. 

• Contact the Federal Trade Commission (FTC): The FTC is responsible for protecting consumers from fraudulent practices, including recruitment fraud. You can file a complaint with the FTC by visiting their website at ftc.gov/complaint. 

• Contact the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3): The IC3 is a partnership between the FBI and the National White Collar Crime Center. They investigate crimes committed over the internet, including recruitment fraud. You can file a complaint with the IC3 at ic3.gov. 
• Contact your local law enforcement: If you believe you have been a victim of fraud, you can contact your local law enforcement agency to file a report. 
• Contact Better Business Bureau (BBB): The BBB is a nonprofit organization that works to promote ethical business practices. You can file a complaint with the BBB if you have been a victim of recruitment fraud. 

It’s important to report recruitment fraud to prevent others from falling victim to the same scam. By reporting the incident, you can help authorities investigate and shut down fraudulent activities. 

Many companies are victims of imposters using their identity to maliciously mislead individuals with fraudulent attempts to obtain funds or personal information.  The Better Business Bureau (BBB) is also one of the companies that has recently been targeted by scammers.  Here is some additional advice offered by the BBB. 

BBB Warnings on Employment Scams

Employment scams rose to number two on the list of the riskiest scams in 2022, with reports increasing 23.1% from 2021 to 2022 and a reported median dollar loss of $1,500.7 Scammers promise work-from-home jobs, high wages, and flexible opportunities. Job offers often require only general skills most people could have, enabling the scammer to target a greater number of people. 

A few typical scenarios include the following: 

• You are hired for a work-from-home opportunity and receive a check for home office equipment. After it arrives, your new employer asks you to wire funds to an account to cover the costs or to transfer funds via an online payment system. Once you’ve sent the employer the funds, you learn their check is bad, and you must now cover the money you transferred. 

• Somebody reaches out to say you are a great fit for a specific position and asks you to fill out an application. You fill it out, providing your birth date, SSN/SIN, driver’s license, and other personally identifiable information. They then tell you they are no longer hiring, but now they have your information and can use it for identity theft or another type of fraud. 

• You receive an opportunity to work for an “offshore” company that requires funds for a work permit, visa, or international training. Once you pay for the training, your contact stops responding to you. 

Employment scam prevention tips

Be wary of offers that seem too good to be true. If you are paying for the promise of a job, it’s probably a scam. 

Always do background research on the job offer (find the job listing on the company’s website). 

Be wary of work-from-home offers, shipping/warehouse opportunities, and secret shopper positions. Our research found many fake job offers related to becoming a “warehouse redistribution coordinator” or similar jobs involving reshipping packages. 

On-the-spot job offers are a red flag. Beware of offers made too quickly or without an interview. 

Don’t fall for a fake check scam. Be wary if the “employer” asks you to deposit a check and transfer funds to another account for training or equipment or for any other reason. 

Be wary of vague job descriptions. To reach as many people as possible, scammers list job requirements that are broad enough to enable anyone to qualify. 

BBB launches new and improved BBB Scam Tracker

In 2022, the BBB Institute for Marketplace Trust partnered with Amazon and Capital One to build a new and improved BBB Scam Tracker platform (BBB.org/ScamTracker) with the goal of helping people learn about scams, report them, and avoid losing money and/or personal information. The updated website makes it easier for people to identify scams and report them while arming partners with more robust data for their fraud-fighting efforts. 

EMPLOYMENT

Job applicants are led to believe they are applying for or have just been hired for a promising new job when, instead, they have given personal information via a fake application or money to scammers for “training” or “equipment.” In another variation, the victim may be “overpaid” with a fake check and asked to wire back the difference. 

Employment scams rose on the list of riskiest scams in 2022 due to a high reported median dollar loss ($1,500) and an increase in submissions. This scam type was the #1 riskiest for ages 18-34 years old. 

8 GENERAL TIPS for avoiding a scam

1. Never send money to someone you have never met face-to-face. 
2. Don’t click on links or open attachments in unsolicited email or text messages. 
3. Don’t believe everything you see or read. Scammers are great at mimicking official seals, fonts, and other details. Just because a website or email looks official does not mean it is.  Even Caller ID can be faked. 
4. Be extremely cautious when dealing with anyone you’ve met online. 
5. Never share personally identifiable information with someone who has contacted you unsolicited. 
6. Don’t be pressured to act immediately. 
7. Use secure, traceable transactions when making payments for goods, services, taxes, and debts. (Gift cards can’t be traced!) 
8. Whenever possible, work with businesses that have proper identification, licensing, and insurance.