Illinois Better Business Bureau Warns Of Specific Holiday Employment Scam

The holidays are coming up so scammers are coming out.

If there's one thing we all know about the holidays, it's the price tag. Between food, decorations, and gifts, many people are looking for some extra income to help.

That's where the BBB in Central Illinois is warning people of holiday employment scams going around. Of course, if you want a new or another job, be proactive about the search but be careful when something seems too good to be true.

The scammers know we need money for the holidays and they're willing to do whatever it takes to get our personal information, even if that's under the facade of hiring us for a temp position.

It can start with getting a text from a big retailer like Amazon, Target etc. that are AI-voiced or written. The scammer may say you're selected based on your resume and if you want the job all you have to do is reply 'yes' so they will know your number is active.

It's in the same vein as the coffee shop scam text.

Jessica Tharp, president and CEO of BBB in Central Illinois told 25NewsNow:

Especially around the holidays, big-name retailers are used in what we call an imposter scam. It looks like a legitimate company contacting you for a job offer, only it’s not. They’re just pretending to be those employers that you commonly know of. That pause that you take from the moment you question it to researching it will save you so much headache.

Here are some tips from the BBB to make sure you don't fall in the fake holiday temp job trap:

• Employers will never ask for a payment up front for a job
• It's weird if you're offered a job when they didn't require an interview to be hired
• Be wary of big money for small jobs
• Never work for a company before they hire you

Like all scams, it's sleazy and this time preys upon people's struggling finances around the holidays. It's not a bad idea to get a temp job to help with the price tags but make sure that what you're signing up for is legit.