I’ve long accepted that just as wolves attack members of the herd who are hurt, grifters and scammers attack the people least able to protect or defend themselves: Job Seekers.
The latest scam seems to be pretending to be from a small company and then requesting to interview you via instant messenger. The job seeker will get an email directing them
to set up and account on one of the free messenger sites and to add the grifter to their contacts. An example might be:
(spoilered because it’s a form letter)
From the desk of the Personnel Manager,
BIGCON TECHNOLOGIES.
Mrs. KATHY GRIFTER kathygrifter@outlook.com
Position Type: Full-Time/ Part Time.
Job Position: Customer Service Rep/ Bookkeeper
Salary:$25/hr
Location: Online
Required skill sets:
Strong customer service skills
Organizational skills, detailed orientation, project management skills
Demonstrated ability to change direction in response to changing priorities
Self-starter
Ability to accept and facilitate change
Proficient in the Microsoft Office Suite of products and especially MS Outlook, Excel and Word.
Professional demeanor and strong oral and written communication skills.
After Review of your Resume.You have been considered and selected for the above job position.An Interview has been scheduled for you,it would hold
Wednesday August 6 2013 by 10:00AM EST.The Interview would be conducted online through YAHOO INSTANT MESSAGING.You are advised to download a yahoo messenger
and add the Mr. William Notmyrealname (Hiring Manager). This is his yahoo id…
Make sure you add him to your messenger and you are online for the Interview by 10:00AM EST.
Regards,
Recruitment Team
I guess my questions are as follows:
Are there any legitimate tax-paying companies that operate their interviews this way?
If the answer is no and 100% of these are scam-based life forms, how can their heads best be played with to waste the most of their time while providing to them the least amount of return on their investment?
I don’t know about having to set up a Yahoo account, but the concept of a first interview via Instant Messaging is not all that horrible.
I mean, if there are just a few basic questions to discuss, and perhaps some follow up, it could save you the time from having to get all dressed up, drive some distance, park, wait, go for an interview and then find out there are two or three things that immediately make you not an ideal candidate.
I would rather have spent that time with IM to get the basic questions over before schlepping all the way there to be be told “no” in two minutes because I don’t speak Spanish or can’t type 90 WPM or have no experience with a specific software or whatever that they may have neglected to mention in the first ad I read.
And who knows - maybe a lot of your work is using IM, so this would be a good trial to see how well you can do it?
I have never heard of this happening, but just sayin’ that it isn’t necessarily a bad idea - as long as it is a real business. But even then, wouldn’t you rather find out the job is a scam/telemarketer position BEFORE you get your hopes up and make the effort to physically go there for an interview?
Unfortunately, I think it is highly likely that this is a scam intended to allow identity thieves to steal personal info from applicants who think that giving their SSN or such is a legitimate part of the application process, so the damage is done even if they don’t have to go somewhere in person.
Especially since the stating wage seems suspiciously high, and the interview is already scheduled before you even apply.
It’s horrible how so many people prey on people who are out of work. I see so many scam ads on craigslist and it makes me feel terrible for those who are just trying their best and end up getting screwed over by some shady asshole.
Back when one of my family members was out of work, a door to door scammer stole some money from him by preying on his tendency to want to be nice/helpful (the scammer claimed to be a neighbor who needed money to pick up her kid’s asthma medication). Yes, you could say my family member should have known better, but his intentions were good and some people are just more trusting than others are. It made me furious that someone stole money from him at the time when he was so stressed out over his financial state.
I work for a distributed company. My first and only interview was via Skype IM. It’s a legitimate and successful company, and I’m still with them 6 years later.
Granted, this is a company where everything is on the web, working remotely is the norm, and online communication skills are crucial. And our hiring process has improved dramatically since.
I’d be quite suspicious of a job ad like that. It’s not necessarily a scam but I’d do some research before committing to anything.
I’ve heard of several friends who had legitimate interviews via Skype, though I am not sure if they were texting, face-to-face webcamming, or just doing a voice call.
Not out of the realm of possibilities, but definitely raises my skepticism.
Oh I agree. I’ve done a lot of voice interviews and its pretty clear who is real and who isn’t. That, and they have a hard time keeping a straight face when asking for a full name and a social security number.
“Willy, I’m sorry… did you just ask me for my full name? Because, well… you called me, remember?” :smack:
Maybe its just part of the dance. It just seems that when you send in a CV with cover letter and then fill out a 5-10 page form on their company website listing all prior employers, education, references,
certifications and skills, that the interviewer could bother to read/know your name.
“Ariel 12 too small? Because I can pump that bad-boy up to 36-point if that’s easier for you.” :dubious: