RALEIGH – Retailers and shippers traditionally hire seasonal workers to fulfill holiday shoppers’ demands, whether online or in person. These jobs are a great way to make extra money, sometimes with the possibility of turning into a long-term employment opportunity. However, Better Business Bureau Serving Eastern Carolinas (BBB) is warning consumers that the jobs are sometimes not all that they seem.
When looking for work to help fund holiday purchases and household bills, BBB has some suggestions to make the seasonal job hunt successful. According to the BBB Scam Tracker Risk Report, employment scams were the second riskiest in 2023.
“Be careful when a job just seems too good to be true,” said Mallory Wojciechowski, president and CEO of BBB. “If you apply to a fake job posting, scammers can steal your money and personal information.”
Don’t get fooled by reshipping scams
If you’re on the hunt for a remote position, you may come across a job at a “shipping” or “logistics” business that asks you to receive packages, inspect them for damages, and then ship the items back out to other addresses. These jobs promise easy money but are cons that help scammers move potentially illegally obtained goods. In most cases, you won’t get paid.
One consumer in the Raleigh area used BBB’s Scam Tracker to warn others about their experience with a reshipping scam.
“The scammer would ship parcels to my house for me to open and inspect, take pictures to add to their “dashboard” in good condition, then add an outgoing shipping label. I used my time and gas to drive parcels to UPS.”
The consumer reported they never received their pay on the listed pay date and the scammer cut off communication.
Learn more about reshipping scams and how to avoid them.
Tips to avoid holiday job scams
- Employers will never ask for payment upfront for a job. Beware of businesses that ask applicants to pay for job supplies, application, or training fees. These expenses are the employer’s responsibility – and asking for money is a big red flag that something is wrong.
- Be wary of job offers that don’t require an interview. Even during the peak hiring season, reputable companies prefer to talk to top job candidates before hiring them. If a job offer is presented without an interview (on the phone or in person) or is offered only via the Internet, question the company’s hiring practices and do a little more digging.
- Be wary of big money for small jobs. If an employer promises outrageously good wages for simple tasks such as reshipping packages, this is a red flag. These too-good-to-be-true offers are an attempt to steal your personal information from a fake job application and can cause problems for you for a long time.
- Never work for a company before they hire you. A legitimate company will not ask potential applicants to complete complex projects before making an official offer. Before beginning any work, request an offer letter or written confirmation of what the job entails, including an official start date and compensation details.
For more information
Read more about employment scams and how to avoid them. For more holiday tips, visit the BBB Holiday Tips page.
