Job hunter avoids employment scam by remembering unwritten rule

    BALTIMORE (WMAR) -- Like many other job searchers, Ami Porter is on the hunt for a remote opportunity with good pay.

“I was looking for at-home work, because I have a disability. I can't be on my feet. So, I have to do something where I can get up, get down, sit, and kind of do it at my own pace,” said Porter.

She found a remote data entry position with a company called Northzone and started communicating with the hiring manager via Signal, an encrypted messaging app. Porter soon received news she’d been hoping for.

“They said, I had the job and then they said these are the requirements. One of them was an Apple iPhone 15 and a new computer,” Porter said. “After I got them, I would have to mail these products to the company so they could then download the software that I would need to do my work.”

Immediately, Porter became suspicious.

“You shouldn't have to pay to work. I was told that a long time ago,” said Porter.

So, she started researching the company and the job position.

“I found them in New York, and they didn't have phones, so I called the company that was on the floor below them, and I left them a message. I said, could you run this message upstairs? Because, you know, I'm interested to know if this position is available,” Porter said.

Porter then heard back from the actual Northzone confirming this wasn’t a valid job. And Northzone is aware of these scam attempts. On the bottom of their website, there’s a warning that fraudulent job offers are circulating under their brand name and they’ll never ask for any fees or payments.

Porter reported the scam to the Better Business Bureau.

“My thought was, I can't let this go, because somebody is going to be naive enough to buy this stuff,” Porter thought.

And it seems she was right. A college student posted on Reddit that they lost over $2,000 to this scam.

“I'm 47, so I have experience looking for jobs. But my daughter, my youngest, just graduated college, and she doesn't have that much experience looking for work,” said Porter. “And she's had four of her friends that have all been scammed.”

Porter’s frustrated by the scammers filling online job boards with fake listings, and warns anyone searching to trust their instincts.

“If it doesn't seem right, double check, call the company. You know, take that extra mile, because that shows that you are proactive on protecting yourself and others,” Porter recommended.

Another job scam targets people who were recently laid off. Fraudsters are responding to posts, mostly on LinkedIn, then request personal information or a recruiting fee.

Also be careful if a potential employer sends you a check and asks you to send some of it back or to use it to buy gift cards. If the check bounces, you're on the hook for that amount.

Click here to see the other 12 Scams of Christmas.