Victim Location 77904
Type of a scam Employment
I was messaged about a remote job opportunity doing data entry and was immediately alarmed because I had not applied for this specific job. I was instructed to add "Anastasia Lee" on google hangout to discuss the job with her. Already sketchy. I proceeded with what seemed to be legitimate questions that I would normally be asked at job interview, she sent me the company website to browse. I found her name on the list of team members and then at the end of the conversation told I was hired. I looked at the website to try and find a number to call to confirm its legitimacy but all I found were emails. It was a legitimate company, I emailed the address that I found two separate times on the website to confirm the job offer I was then instructed to add a different person on Skype and chat with him because he was going to give me my assignments to do as part of my training. His name was "Denise Arnold". He said I would need to order software and equipment from their company vendor and they would send me a check in the mail to pay for these materials as soon as possible.
I began "training" for three days and finally did some more digging on twitter on the company’s page and only because I dug so deep and hard was I able to find the email of someone that ACTUALLY worked at the REAL company, I notified him of the situation and his chief of staff responded letting me know there was no data entry position and they do not use google hangouts or Skype to have meetings and it was indeed a SCAM. The scammers used the real company’s logo and forged very believable work documents. I then received a check in the mail overnighted from Fedex, the check was from an auto parts company for $4,700??? This was a real company with real people, but the people that I was talking to was not them. they were imposters posing as the people that they got off of the real websites team page.
I asked to speak to HR multiple times and they said someone from HR would call me within the week. Glad I didn’t put anymore energy into this. Protect yourselves.