BAKERSFIELD, Calif. — Summer time means more summer jobs are available. More jobs listings gives more opportunities for scam job postings, especially online. And with a little extra work you can find the right real job for you.
Frank Cabrera is a job developer with Job Fest. He said, “Any company that you’re applying for you want to make sure that it’s a company that has a good reputation.”
Applying for a job, it can be a full-time job in of itself. Cabrera said if you’re applying online be ready to do your homework.
“You can actually do your research on that company rather than just taking the search engines word for it," said Cabrera. "Make sure you actually go to the companies website look at the quality of job that’s with that company and make sure that there’s a wage attached to it.”
Heading into the summer months Bakersfield Police released this post on their Facebook page reading they’ve already seen multiple victims of potential online job scam postings. And are recommending people be careful when applying for jobs especially younger and less experienced job seekers.
Sgt. Nathan McCauley, with Bakersfield Police, said, “I think it was important that we put it out there on social media platforms to try to educate more people on the dangers of different people trying to take advantage of it, take your information. Or use you in different ways for some of these fake jobs.”
Sgt. McCauley said some job posting are easier to tell if they are a scam than others.
“Anyone where it involves the employer, it says alright we’re going to mail you a check, we want you to go out cash it purchase these supplies and then mail us back this portion of the money and keep the rest as payment, almost everyone of those is going to be some kind of scam,” said Sgt. McCauley.
Cabrera said if you're applying online and you get stuck and aren't sure if you're applying to a reputable business or not, there are place you can go to get help while applying.. Where can I go continue to apply online and have those questions answered for me?”
“Of course you always want to go to at Job Fest Kern on our Facebook and Instagram," said Cabrera. "We have a lot of great postings there for you. But also a physical locations that you can come to is right here at the Job Spot 1501 Panama Lane. There’s a great collaboration here between different workforce partners. We can get great information and job postings that are up-to-date. And then the library. We have constant hiring recruitments at the Kern County Library as well, Beale Library on 701 Truxtun Avenue.”
If you do fall victim of a scam and your information is compromised Sgt. McCauley said you should fill out a police report. But because some frauds are federal crimes Bakersfield police can’t always help. So he also suggests filing a different report.
“First thing I would report it to your credit agencies if you can," said Sgt. McCauley. "As far as the watch there. Or report it to your bank if it’s involving an account specifically yours so they’re aware of this and they have a process that they can go through.”
Finally a suggestion both Sgt. McCauley and Cabrera recommended is only give your social security number to a business you are positive is legitimate and you intend to work for.
For more information about how to report an online fraud you can visit Bakersfield Police Department’s website. Or for more information about finding real job postings visit the Job Spot’s orJob Fest’s websites.
