Scammers posing as potential employers to steal identities, drain bank accounts

LOS ANGELES (FOX 11) - If you're looking for a job, beware. There are scammers posing as potential employers, stealing identities and draining your bank account.

Fraud involving fake job offers is the third riskiest scam in the country, according to the Better Business Bureau. Consumers lost $2.9 million to this scam in 2018.

Jade Parks of Lancaster recently posted her resume on an employment search website. She thought she scored big when a person claiming to be the head of human resources for a pharmaceutical company sent a message saying he was interested in hiring her.

Since the company is based in New York and Jade lives in California, she was told the interview would be online and over the phone. Within three days, Jade was offered a job as an administrative assistant making $26.75 an hour.

"They sent W-4 forms, direct deposit forms, employment verification forms, your typical HR forms," Jade told FOX 11.

They also sent her a check to deposit into her bank account. Jade was told it was to pay for working materials such as a laptop, printer, phone and other office equipment.

The orders were clear. She had to pay specific vendors for the equipment needed for the job.

Jade wrote numerous checks from her bank account to pay the vendors, but it was all a scam. The checks Jade received from the company were bogus and the job didn't exist. By the time Jade realized this, it was too late.

She had been duped out of thousands of dollars.

"I was so embarrassed," she said.

If you are searching for a job online, these are the things to consider: