BBB gives tips to avoid holiday job scams

TULSA, Okla. — The holidays are here and stores are hiring seasonal help, but that also means you could be taken advantage of. FOX23 is here to explain how you can avoid a holiday job scam.

Whether online or in-person, businesses are hiring holiday help right now. These jobs are a great way to bring in extra money over the holidays and can sometimes turn into a long term employment opportunity, whether you’re looking for something part-time or a full-time opportunity.

But, the Better Business Bureau (BBB) has a warning: don’t fall for a help wanted ad that seems too good to be true.

Amie Mitchell with the BBB said to watch out jobs that pay too much for a minimal amount of work.

“Small jobs that don’t cost a lot of money and typically that job would only pay seven or eight dollars an hour, they’re not going to be paying you 50 to 75 dollars an hour, so watch out for those ads that are just astronomically high for a minimal amount of work,” she said.

Mitchell advised to avoid any job that says you’re going to have to pay for supplies up front, they should give you whatever you need to do the job.

Mitchell also said to beware of businesses that ask you to pay for application or training fees, that’s the employer’s responsibility.

And even though it’s peak hiring season, be suspicious if a business offers you a job without an interview.

“If you’ve got jobs that don’t require an interview, that is a big red flag, most employers want to interview you, at least a phone interview, so they can hear your voice,” she said.

Mitchell also said don’t start doing work for a company before they hire you. A legitimate company will not ask you to complete projects before making you an official offer.

“You’ll have an employment contract and different things like this you’re not going to start working and then, ‘Maybe I’ll get paid,’ you should have some kind of agreement first,” she said.

The BBB said if an employer is promising an outrageously high wage for a simple task, like reshipping packages or answering phones, don’t fall for it. These too good to be true offers are often an attempt to steal your personal information.

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