Job Scams: Background Checks

In the current economic climate, the heat is turned up for those seeking jobs. As always, that means those seeking to take advantage are out of the woodwork.

"More families are becoming increasingly susceptible to suspect offers for employment as they try to find work in an extremely competitive job market,” said Mike Boynton, an Atlanta spokesman for the Better Business Bureau.

Job offers don't require an upfront fee. Ads were placed by a Florida company claiming it was looking to hire 2,500 employees for their new headquarters. Applicants had to submit $24 to pay for a background check.

Job placement or recruitment companies don't typically charge for services either. Some job placement companies, however, have been taking money from job hunters and not fulfilling their promises of quick employment.

Legitimate employers will need Social Security numbers for tax purposes and may need a bank account number to deposit paychecks for new employees. But job hunters should be wary of any requests for such information from companies and job offers that they have not vetted fully.