# Yet another, "Is this a scam?" thread. **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [February 10, 2011, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yet-another-is-this-a-scam-thread/570964 "2011-02-10T23:19:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Nobody](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/94ad74/32.png) [@Nobody](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nobody)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2011, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yet-another-is-this-a-scam-thread/570964/1 "2011-02-10T23:19:38Z")
Yesterday I replied to [this](http://salem.craigslist.org/ofc/2206008247.html) Craigslist job posting. ## Today I just received this E-mail reply Hi, Thank you for the interested in the job opening. When would you be able to come in for an informal interview? If you have a printed resume available can you please have that ready, a printed credit report (I have provided a link below) and a valid driver’s license or photo ID. When you have everything prepared get in touch with me with a date when you would be able to come in. h ttp://www.credreports.org/?id=12Arif7j ## Respectfully, Jason Davis The link to the credit reporting agency is what has me worried (I broke the link so that no-one will click on it by accident). ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2011, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yet-another-is-this-a-scam-thread/570964/2 "2011-02-10T23:28:06Z")
[Scam. Mr. Davis is offering people jobs all over the country.](http://flakelist.org/page/viewpub/tid/1/pid/3952) ---
**Author:** ![TravisFromOR](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/cc9497/32.png) [@TravisFromOR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TravisFromOR)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2011, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yet-another-is-this-a-scam-thread/570964/3 "2011-02-10T23:46:12Z")
I’ve never heard of any legitimate employer making an applicant pay for their own credit report. ---
**Author:** ![Nobody](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/94ad74/32.png) [@Nobody](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nobody)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2011, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yet-another-is-this-a-scam-thread/570964/4 "2011-02-11T00:01:02Z")
Just as I thought. Thank you. I’ll flag it as a scam. ---
**Author:** ![Trubie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/71c47a/32.png) [@Trubie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trubie)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2011, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yet-another-is-this-a-scam-thread/570964/5 "2011-02-11T00:31:10Z")
> [@TravisFromOR](#): > > I’ve never heard of any legitimate employer making an applicant pay for their own credit report. They should be able to run credit/background checks on you. I don’t know why they’d trust you, not offense to you I’m using the general you, to bring on in that you could have made up. They probably run the site and this is how they make their money. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2011, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yet-another-is-this-a-scam-thread/570964/6 "2011-02-11T03:08:34Z")
No problem. Good luck with the job hunt! ---
**Author:** ![Nobody](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/94ad74/32.png) [@Nobody](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nobody)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2011, 3:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yet-another-is-this-a-scam-thread/570964/7 "2011-02-11T03:59:36Z")
You know, I think you really are all that bright :D. ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2011, 5:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yet-another-is-this-a-scam-thread/570964/8 "2011-02-11T05:38:35Z")
Seriously…if you have to ask, the answer is ALWAYS yes, it is a scam. ---
**Author:** ![Nobody](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/94ad74/32.png) [@Nobody](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nobody)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2011, 5:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yet-another-is-this-a-scam-thread/570964/9 "2011-02-11T05:40:24Z")
I think that’s a little over-simplistic. ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2011, 7:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yet-another-is-this-a-scam-thread/570964/10 "2011-02-11T07:27:10Z")
How could the reply thing you posted possibly not be a scam? What reputable employer is going to tell you to not only bring them a copy of your credit report, but to obtain it from a link they provide? ---
**Author:** ![Nobody](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/94ad74/32.png) [@Nobody](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nobody)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2011, 8:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yet-another-is-this-a-scam-thread/570964/11 "2011-02-11T08:22:16Z")
Well yeah, if I ever get another reply with a link to a supposedly credit checking Website I’ll automatically assume it’s a scam. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2011, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yet-another-is-this-a-scam-thread/570964/12 "2011-02-11T14:48:16Z")
You know that ugly, annoying [scam alert page](http://cleveland.craigslist.org/cgi-bin/jobs.cgi?&category=jjj/) that craigslist puts between the home page and the jobs page? Read it, see if it applies here 🙂 Also see … > [@craigslist](#): > > FUN FACT: If you are able to determine a scammer’s “affiliate ID” and report it to their affiliate marketing program, this will often result in termination of the scammer, and confiscation of the scammer’s ill-gotten gains by the affiliate program. I’d say that guy’s affiliate ID is 12Arif7j. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2011, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yet-another-is-this-a-scam-thread/570964/13 "2011-02-11T15:19:41Z")
> [@Oakminster](#): > > How could the reply thing you posted possibly not be a scam? What reputable employer is going to tell you to not only bring them a copy of your credit report, but to obtain it from a link they provide? Many people would be equally nonplussed by the idea of an employer demanding a credit report _at all._ ---
**Author:** ![Sigmagirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c89c15/32.png) [@Sigmagirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigmagirl)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2011, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yet-another-is-this-a-scam-thread/570964/14 "2011-02-11T15:30:23Z")
No, if they are going to require you to travel, they may want you to have a company credit card, and want to make sure you are competent to use it. If you have a history of misuse or irresponsibility, they won’t want to rely on you to take care of their business. But a legitimate company would see if you are a viable candidate before they got as far as checking your credit. Asking for it along with your resume is definitely suspicious and the OP was right to check. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2011, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yet-another-is-this-a-scam-thread/570964/15 "2011-02-11T15:32:30Z")
Sure, but employers who give you a company credit card don’t recruit via Craigslist.