Oregon FBI’s Tech Tuesday: Beware of resume scams

PORTLAND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- So you’ve just graduated college, and it’s time to look for that job you’ve always wanted – but be careful, not every job offer is legit, and it’s important to be able to spot the scams. 

This week’s FBI Portland Tech Tuesday segment focuses on a scam you may not be aware of: a resume scam. But the Federal Trade Commission has released a new consumer protection alert warning people of the scam. 

Here’s how it works: You’re sought out by a recruiter that’s looking for a new employee for a job in your line of work. All you need to do is send over your resume. But that’s where things get dicey – the formatting for your resume is incompatible with their systems, so they’ll need you to submit your resume online at a provided website. 

In order to upload your resume, there’s a fee attached. And now you’ve just given your information – both personal and financial – over to the scammer. Essentially, you’ve just paid to apply for a job. 

This warning goes to everyone, but especially those graduating from college this month and beginning to apply for jobs: be careful in your search. Do your homework on the company you’re looking to apply to. Review the company and the person that’s reached out to you. Check for any protection alerts or complaints against the company regarding scams and make sure they haven’t scammed other potential applicants. 

Beware of fake job ads or pyramid schemes that might look like legitimate businesses but are often scams. 

Remember, legitimate employers will never request or require you to pay to get a job. 

If you do become a victim of an employment scam, you can always report those to the FBI via the Internet Crime Complaint Center at ic3.gov or to the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov. 

I’m Dixon Land with the FBI and this has been your Tech Tuesday segment. 

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Sourcing and references: 

https://consumer.ftc.gov/consumer-alerts/2022/05/applying-jobs-be-lookout-scams