With the holiday season approaching, the Boston Police Department is warning shoppers to be cautious of temporary holiday jobs.
Temporary Holiday Job Scams: What Job Seekers Need to Know
The Better Business Bureau (BBB) warns that temporary holiday job scams were the “number one riskiest scam for people ages 18–44 in 2023.” Scammers often post fake temporary job listings online, pretending to represent legitimate companies, to lure job seekers into giving money or personal information.
Legitimate employers never ask applicants to pay for supplies, training, or application fees. Job seekers should be cautious of listings promising unusually high pay for holiday positions and should never start working for a company before being officially hired. Always verify the employer and the job listing before sharing personal or financial information.
Resources & Reporting: If you have paid scammers, there are some actions you can take to protect yourself from further issues and potentially get
money back. Follow the steps below on “What to Do if You were Scammed”
- Victims are encouraged to file a police report with their local area station. Please follow the link (here) to find your local Boston area station.
- If the scammers obtained your Social Security number, go to IdentityTheft.gov
- For additional reporting victims can also file with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) or with the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3).