Local

Fraudsters are using local businesses as part of their scams

TULSA, Okla. — The Better Business Bureau (BBB) told FOX23 how scammers are taking advantage of people looking for work. Now they’re detailing how someone tried to use a local business as part of their scam.

Christina Hageny is the president of Valor Payroll Solutions in Tulsa. She said a man using the name “Joe Beverly” sent a text with a job offer claiming he’s hiring people to print and mail checks for Valor Payroll Solutions, but it’s a scam.

“I found out about it when people started reaching out to me,” said Hageny. “The grammar was really terrible, but it was definitely saying, ‘Hey I’m hiring someone to help me with payroll duties.’”

The scammer’s messages said new hires would get $3 thousand per month for one to three hours of work per day. Hageny said at least one person fell for the scam.

“She’s basically committing fraud,” said Hageny of the person scammed. “She doesn’t know it, but she’s printing fraudulent checks and she’s putting them in the mail.”

Amie Mitchell from the BBB in Tulsa said they hear from a local business owner about scams like this about once a quarter.

“This is a pretty big scam, especially for the volume of consumers they were contacting about a possible job, the number of checks they were sending out,” said Mitchell.

Hageny reported this scam to the BBB Scam Tracker and reached out to Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation. She said she’s also reporting it to the Oklahoma Attorney General’s Office and the Federal Trade Commission.

Listen

news

weather

traffic

mobile apps

Everything you love about krmg.com and more! Tap on any of the buttons below to download our app.

amazon alexa

Enable our Skill today to listen live at home on your Alexa Devices!