Attorney General's Office warns job seekers of scam messages

CONCORD — Attorney General John M. Formella is warning Granite Staters about reports of job-seeking scams using names of New Hampshire-based companies. The scam begins when the job seeker receives an email or text which appears to be from a local business. Online scammers are increasingly sophisticated with their use of technology, and consumers should use extra care in their online job search. Consider the following:

• If you receive a text or email regarding potential employment, do not directly respond to the text or email, even if it appears to be from a familiar company. Instead, independently find the company’s website and call the company directly to verify that the job listing is accurate.
• Some scammers will conduct online interviews. The purported interviewer is not on screen and instead uses a profile photo obtained from another source, such as the company’s website, or an online professional profile. Before any online interview, find the company’s website and call the company directly to verify the job listing is accurate.
• A legitimate employer will not ask you to pay for training materials or equipment to work. Be suspicious if a prospective employer sends you a check to purchase home office equipment and then asks you use the money to purchase gift cards or to refund unspent funds with gift cards, cryptocurrency or wired funds. This is very likely a scam. Note that banks will make funds from deposited checks available for use within a few days. However, just because funds are available for use, does not mean the check has cleared. It takes several weeks for a check to be fully processed. If the check bounces, the bank will remove funds they deposited into your account.
• Finally, if you get a job offer, do not send your personal information, such as your social security number, address, date of birth or bank account information by email or text. Scammers will send a job offer and then request personal information to “set up” your employee account. If this happens, request to submit the information through a company-provided, encrypted online portal. If they insist on information through unsecure channels, consider it a red flag. A trustworthy employer will make efforts to protect your personal information.

Online scammers want your personal identifiable information and will do anything to trick you into providing it. Identity theft can happen to anyone. It is important to use caution with all online interactions. If you think you have experienced consumer fraud, contact the Attorney General’s Office Consumer Protection and Anti-trust Bureau at 888-468-4454, or DOJ-CPB@doj.nh.gov.

— Staff report