Nebraska job seekers under attack as fake listings are among the ‘riskiest scams’

LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) – Job scams have moved up on the list of riskiest scams, landing at number two, according to the Better Business Bureau in Nebraska.

BBB’s Josh Planos says scammers often target job seekers on sites like LinkedIn and Indeed.

Scammers will put up fake job listings for “hybrid work” on those sites, according to Planos.

“It’s very easy to create fictitious listings and have people apply,” he said.

Planos says as more people re-enter the workforce, a surge in hybrid opportunities is peaking on job boards, leaving an opening for scammers.

The listings often seem realistic, and Planos said some people even through an entire “hiring process” and start receiving checks.

“They would deposit the check, and the check would immediately show up in their account, but of course, it takes a week for a check to actually clear,” Planos said. “In that time, they would then be asked to purchase office equipment from obscure sites, like a lookalike site that was not real.”

Planos says to follow up on both the job listing post and the company’s official post to make sure they match up.

People should also consider how much the job listing says it would pay, according to Planos.

These signs can point to whether a job seeker is encountering a scam or not.

“It’s always best to do your research on the front end, rather than waiting until you have to clean it up on the back,” Planos said.