Job Searching In The Age Of Technology And Scammers II

Desperate's bank account is not closed because the con artist(s) succeed in their plans 

to cash a fraudulent check through another person's account. The bank account is 

closed because she pays attention to her conscience and decides to use the experience to 

warn others.

After reading the E-mail three times, it is never a clear understanding as to who is trying to 

interview her, where her resume appears that warrants the contact for an interview, and why 

isn't the company's address,  telephone, and/or fax number included in the request.

Now the decision to contact the scammer(s) begins with pretending she is following their 

instructions exactly as written in the E-mail. The Wire app is downloaded and she figures 

out what is meant to "add up" the admin account. 

Not once during the interview is there ever a request for her date of birth, social security, 

and driver's license information. The only interest expressed is about a bank account being 

available for use. Satisfying the interviewer's question about owning a bank account,

she is informed it is important for her to have a compatible account to receive a check to

cover the cost of materials for the job. The next set of instructions is for her to contact the 

Admin as soon as the check arrives via snapshots using the Wire app.  

 

She arrives at the bank after sending the snapshot to the finance admin as instructed. Gives 

the check to the teller. The teller immediately makes it known that the check is possibly 

fraudulent and warns that the account would be on lockdown until it cleared. Meaning no 

funds could be withdrawn and a possibility the account would be closed without the courtesy

of opening a new account with the bank. She continues to explain scammers often get the 

expectant job seekers to deposit fraudulent checks and then immediately withdraw a portion 

of the funds to send back. Upon hearing this news, she convinces the teller to continue the 

deposit process and returns home to send the snapshot of the deposit slip.

The deposit slip snapshot is sent and the Admin response is quick. The new instructions 

commands her to take out $200.00 and buy an eBay card to purchase software 

to be installed on the laptop being configured for her job. She responds that the funds can

not be withdrawn for 2-5 days. She returns to the bank it closes for the day and the teller that 

had warned her about the check is still on duty. As she approaches the wait-for service area, 

the teller notices her and smiles as she waves Desperate to come forward. She lets her know 

the check posting was still pending and Desperate lets her know that tomorrow she would 

close the account because the scammers had goofed by asking for immediate withdrawal 

of funds to be used to buy an eBay card. The teller again smiles as she informs the cost that 

would need to be deposited into the account for a returned check.

She wakes the following morning dreading her decision to take on scammers, but she needs

to see this through to the end. So, she checks her account and sees a pending balance and a

huge negative balance instead of the amount she knew it should be showing in her account.

This lit the fire for her to beg the one person she knew would help her with the funds to be

deposited. 

By 8:00 am in the morning, she makes contact with the Admin on the Wire app. The Admin

is in a rush to get her to withdraw the funds, especially after noting the tone of Desperate's

responses. The Admin demands to know when the funds will be available. Desperate reminds

her account is locked. The Admin is persistent and adamantly insists the funds get withdrawn 

ASAP. 

Desperate's battle with her blood pressure is now lost. It is beyond her control. She is finally 

letting go of her anxiety and responding to the Admin's cold calculating tone, she writes for

the scammer(s) to grow a conscience.

The lesson learned from this experience is law enforcement at any level will not get involved

in this kind of fraud. As explained to Desperate while closing her account. She now understood 

she had succeeded yet again to be the martyr for a lost cause.