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FRAUD ALERT: Fake Employment Agency Fools Job Hunters with Scam Calls

by Better Business Bureau

Don’t be fooled by a new wave of fake phone calls. Scammers are posing as an employment agency and fooling job hunters into parting with personal information.

How the Scam Works:   

You receive a call from a business named WN Positions. The caller is supposedly an employment agency wanting to interview you in response to a job survey you allegedly completed online. The caller sounds very natural, like a real customer service agent, and it takes you a few moments to realize it’s actually a pre-recorded robo-call.

The teleprompter asks you questions typical of a preliminary job interview, such as your name, educational background and salary requirements. Then, it goes on to ask about whether you want to return to school and/or advance in your education.

After the survey, a live person comes on the phone. The caller tells you that the business is not a hiring agency but rather one that “helps connect people with education opportunities.” When prompted, the caller claims WN Positions is BBB Accredited (it’s not!) and even provides an email address.

It is unclear if the calls are a true phishing scam or just a shady way to collect sales leads. Either way, be careful and don’t give any personal information. One recipient reported receiving numerous calls from unknown numbers after talking to the WN Positions representative.

As always, watch out for variations of this scam. Currently, the calls appear to come from North Carolina and Connecticut exchanges, but that is likely to change. Also, some callers say they are recruiting for positions at Wal-Mart, but they are likely to reference other large corporations too. Even the business name “WN Positions” may change.

How do I Protect Myself from Phone Scams: 

Scam phone calls are common. Even if you list your number with the Do Not Call Registry or Canada’s Do Not Call List, you are still likely to receive them. Here’s how to protect yourself:

• Hang up, don’t press any buttons and don’t call the scammer back. We all like to have the last word, but returning the phone call may just give the con artist information he can use.
• Never give out personal information such as credit card numbers, bank account numbers, dates of birth or social security numbers to unfamiliar callers.
• Never give a caller remote access to your computer. 
• If you do want to make a purchase, always ask for the salesperson’s name, business, phone and address (and verify this information!) before handing over money. Legitimate businesses understand that you want more information about their company and are happy to comply.
• File a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission to help track down scammers.

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