Championscott Scam Job Texts from Phoebe – Phishing Job Scam
Are you scared of being a victim to a scam job offer? Did you receive a text message from Phoebe at ChampionScott offering you a full time or part time job? Lower your expectations! The job offer from Championscott Phoebe is a scam, and not a legit one.
Here’s how the Championscott scam works, warning signs to look out for to help you identify the scam, how to protect yourself from employment scams, and proactive measures to take to report the fraudulent job to relevant authorities.
Overview of The Championscott Scam
The Championscott scam is ochestrated by scammers pretending to be working at Championscott Partners (a global firm). The scammers use the name ‘Phoebe’ which is just a fictional name created for the scam. Then they proceed to send text messages, pretending to act on the behalf of Championscott Company.
The targets of this scam are mostly job seekers whose numbers were gotten from numerous job platforms (Indeed, ZipRecruiter, Simply Hired, Linkedin, etc.). Lucrative jobs are then offered to the victims, such as high hourly pay, full-time, flexible and part time jobs.
Exposing The Championscott Scam Employment
After a fake interview, people 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 fake 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.
Warning Signs of Championscott Scam Job Offer
1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. Too Good To Be True Job Pay
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.
How To Protect Yourself From The Championscott Scam
To protect yourself from the Championscott scam and similar scam, it’s important that you do the following;
- Do not respond to unsolicited job offer emails or text messages from unknown numbers claiming to be ChampionScott.
- Watch out for grammatical errors contained in a job email or text
- Do not share your personal data like your Social Security number or other personal identification to anyone pretending to be ChampionScott or similar sources.
- Be wary of too good to be true job offers and salaries. Often times, it’s just a bait.
- Always, remember to research any company and job opportunity thoroughly before proceeding
Reporting The Championscott Scam To Relevant Authorities
If you’ve received the Championscott scam recruitment text and/or you’ve fallen victim to the scam, it’s very important to report the scam to the relevant authorities. By so doing, you create an awareness of the scam and also help mitigate it by stopping the spread.
The first step to take is contacting your local law enforcement agency. Provide them with all the details regarding the scam, including any emails, telephone numbers, or communication you have received.
You should also report the scam to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) through their online complaint assistant via ReportFraud.ftc.gov or Internet Crime Complaint Center.
Meanwhile, you can also inform your state’s attorney general office about the scam to stop the spread locally.
Conclusion
Like The Staffworks Recruitment Scam, Championscott scam job offer uses high pay to trick job seekers into paying an advance fee for ‘equipment’ and revealing their personal information. Don’t be a victim!
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.
