Folks,

I just wanted to bring a "new" fraud ALERT to your attention.

I recently was approached by a company responding to my Career Builder account/resume posting. They started off discussing a position that they felt I was qualified for. I responded with several questions, which they answered and soon a 'job offer' was made. Now this was not a "get rich quick" kind of offer, but a reasonable salary for the type of position that was being discussed. I took precautions (as this is an overseas company), and opened a new checking account at a new bank for them to use for direct deposit of my paychecks. It wasn't until that information was given to them that they bring to light the need for this position to 'transfer $' from their clients to their programmers. This is the first "Real Fishy" bit that came up. Everything else to this point seemed plausible.

I had contacted the FBI, but they wouldn't discuss any company information just general scams that they are aware of. I purchased a credit report early this morning and it looked good. But the smartest thing I did, was ask a fellow CC Ambassador if they could help check up on this. And THANK YOU Avi, for digging up the dirt, and exposing these people for the thief's that they are. Thankfully this information came before I committed any (or many) crimes, which could have included receiving stolen goods, bank fraud, money laundering, and more.

Be aware of this kind of scam! This particular company falsely posed as a legitamite company (stole their identity) as SMT, Ltd or Software Maintenance, Ltd. Website http://www.softmaintenance-ltd.com But after reading this link info http://www.bobbear.co.uk/software-maintenance-ltd.html I am convinced that I cut it awfully close. And yes, this is partly due to the fact that I have been laid off for 6 months now and although I am "self employed" with my web-hosting, I am looking for something that is more 'stable' to subsidize that business.

Sorry for being so winded, but I felt this was very important.

Phil

Hi Phil,
http://www.elsop.com/wrc/complain.htm

Thanks Bruzer, YEP! That long list of folks are going to hear about this tomorrow, including most of the Alphabet Soup

I'll be busy for a while with this one.

Get anywhere on your reporting process Phil?

It's been reported to several law enforcement offices. Bank is closing out account for protection. FBI will be looking into it, as well as maybe some others. Don't really expect to hear any feedback on it though. I will also be sending the regional news a copy of the information as well, maybe they can get this up on a national report of some sort and help others to protect themselves.

Thanks for askin'

Wait a minute.

You were approached by someone, I wont call them a company, and you gave them any personal and financial information???

You didn't initiate the contact, they did?

And you gave them sensitive information?

Dude!

Well, Tom, in his defense he created a "dummy account" for this, so didn't give out anything sensitive.

It's not the first time that I've had to provide "sensitive information" during the start of what "should have been" employment... And it's not the first time that a "company" had contacted me either. I've been recruited twice before, when I wasn't looking for a job, only difference is this time I was looking. And the account has since been shut down, so what is sensitive about it?

Well I guess I would want to verify the company responding to my online resume first.

Simply responding to my online resume by Email won't cut it. Anyone can spoof an email address in under a minute.

This is not a new scam.

http://idtheft.about.com/od/theftmethod … tScams.htm
http://www.realinternet-jobs.com/Intern … Scams.html
http://www.privacyrights.org/fs/fs25a-J … rPriv2.htm

To give someone access to any financial information without doing your homework to verify their validity is simply foolish, in my opinion. Especially an offshore "company".