Beware of Brent Johnson Design Scam Job Texts: It’s a Fake Employment Opportunity

Don’t fall for fake Brent Johnson Design job texts. If you get a text from someone (eg Tiyonna Gaynell) claiming to work at Brent Johnson Design, kindly ignore and delete the text.

Once you reply to the text, you get drawn into a scam that either asks you to perform unclear tasks or makes you pay for ‘equipment/training’ fee.

As a Cybersecurity analyst, I’ve taken my time to investigate this recruitment scam. This article provides information on how the scam works, who is behind the job scam and how to spot similar job scams.

Why Its a Scam Brent Johnson Design Job Offer

First and foremost, Brent Johnson Design (an Exhibit Design Firm) does not send unsolicited recruitment texts without receiving an application letter from job seekers.

Secondly, the company wouldn’t reach out to you via WhatsApp or Text. They’d rather do so via email, from their official email domain @brentjohnsondesign.com.

Thirdly, they don’t conduct interviews via Signal or Telegram

Lastly, you wouldn’t be hired without speaking to the HR nor would you be offered the position the same day, barely 30 minutes later.

All the four points are red flags that prove it’s a full fledged scam.

How The Job Scam Works

Starting with a job offer for a non-existing job, recipients are lured with high pay and benefits. After a sham interview on Telegram or Signal, the victims are told they’v been hired. However, they’re told they need some equipments for the job.

The job scammers then proceed to email a fraudulent check for equipment (scanner, printer, and several types of software). Then ask their victims to print the check and deposit it into their (the victim’s) account via the mobile app.

Once it is in the account, victims would be asked to Zelle the payment to a “private vendor” so they could start working on the order for the work equipments.  

Even when the check is placed on hold by the bank, the scammers would insist the victims make the payment from their personal account. Convincing them that the bank would clear the check soon.

People who fall for this scam, end up loosing their money and being vulnerable to identity theft.

Who is Behind The Fake Brent Johnson Design Job Scam

The recruitment scam is orchestrated by one of the following sets of people;

• Foreign cybercrime group  – This people create fake job postings on Indeed mimicking real companies. Their goal is often to install malware, steal personal information, or extort money from victims.
• A Shady Competitor – In this scenario, a competitor may spread fake postings to damage Brent Johnson Design reputation and steer job seekers away.

Warning Signs of Employment Scams You Should Be Wary of

1. If You’re Asked To Pay Money

 Legitimate employers and hiring managers don’t require an application fee or expect you to pay for training. Sometimes this fee can be labelled ‘equipment fee’ for training. Whatever name it is, don’t fall for it.

2. Upfront Requests for Sensitive Information

Sensitive information (like your social security number, date of birth, or bank account information) isn’t a part of early recruitment process. Eventually, your employer will need this information for taxes and benefits enrollment, but only after you have a written job offer and sometimes not until your first day on the job.

3. Impersonates a Recruitment Company

In order to gain your trust, the scammers often use the name and brand of known recruitment companies. The first thing you should do is to search for the company’s official email address online and contact them in regards to the job. That way, you can verify if it is scam or legit.

4. Only Uses Texts and Online Chats

As technology evolves, so do scams, and some recruitment scams have migrated to texts or online chats especially via WhatsApp. Most legitimate companies don’t reach out to recruit via text unless you already applied on the company’s site and opted to receive text messages.

5. If It Seems Too Good To Be True

It feels great that a company is fast-tracking you, contacting you within an hour of applying, and doesn’t require an interview or checking references. But as the saying goes, if it seems too good to be true, it probably is.

What To Do If You Received The Brent Johnson Design Recruitment Scam Text

Do Not Provide Your Sensitive Information

No matter how legit a prospective job offer looks, do not provide sensitive information like your DATE & YEAR of birth, Social security number, or bank account information.

Do Not Click on Any Link Contained in The Text

If the text or email contains a link, do not click on it as it could be malicious. Often times, hackers pose as job recruiters to gain access to their victim’s data. Clicking on the link might install a malware on your device that’d easily steal sensitive and confidential data.

Report The Scam and Create Awareness

The final step you should take is to report the Recruitment scam to law enforcement agencies in order to stop the scam and create awareness. You can do to the FTC via  ReportFraud.ftc.gov or Internet Crime Complaint Center.

Conclusion

Like The Staffworks Recruitment ScamThe Brent Johnson Design scam recruitment uses high pay to trick job seekers into paying an advance fee for ‘equipment’ and revealing their personal information. Don’t be a victim! It’s a fake job offer.

When approached by a job recruiter either online or offline, the first thing to do is research the company and the job opportunity. Find the company on the internet and review their online presence, including their social media. Enter the company’s name and the word “scam” on search engine to see if the business is legitimate.