Hello, fellow squirrels. Today, I will be talking about BBB scams in a nutshell.
What is a BBB scam?
A BBB scam refers to scams that misuse the name and reputation of the Better Business Bureau (BBB). These scams come in four nutty varieties: the resume formatting scam, the fake job offer scam, the online gaming scam, and the last one is where scammers impersonate the BBB itself. Don’t let these shady squirrels steal your acorns!
Today I will be covering two out of the four.
Resume Formatting Scams!
how does it work?
The scam begins when a so-called “headhunting company” claims to have found your information on LinkedIn or a job search website and wants to hire you. But the person contacting you isn’t actually from that company; they’re a scammer dressed up in a business suit of lies. They’ll say you’re a perfect fit for a high-paying position and ask you to send in your resume.
This seems reasonable, but here’s where the scam gets nutty. After you send your resume, they reply saying it’s not properly formatted for their Applicant Tracking System (ATS). Then, the “recruiter” (aka scammer) directs you to a website to get it “reformatted.”
Once you enter the site, it asks for personal information and payment. If you go through with it, you’ll either get a barely changed resume or nothing at all. And to top it off the job doesn’t even exist, you’re out a sum of money, and they got your personal information. It’s a classic case of squirrels trying to stash your data and acorns for themselves.
Fake Job Offers!
This scam begins with what appears to be a legitimate job offer. It will have appealing perks like remote work, high pay, and flexible hours. It all sounds too good to be true, because it is. When they contact you, they’ll ask for things like your Social Security Number and banking details to “move forward” in the hiring process or request upfront payment for equipment and training. They might even send you a fake check and ask you to wire the money back. with this scam they will get your money or your personal info. Don’t fall for it, these scammy squirrels are just trying to raid your financial stash!
Things to look out for!
For these types of scams, always take things that seem too good to be true with a grain of salt and maybe a pawful of caution. If you’re given a check and then asked to send the money back, tell them to take it up with their bank. It might sound rude, but fake checks can take time to bounce, and it’s better to be safe than sorry. And finally, never give your personal info to anyone or any site until you know it’s the real deal don’t let shady squirrels scamper off with your identity!
That’s all for today’s cyber-stuffed nutshell! Remember, staying alert is half the battle… and now you’ve got acorn-sized wisdom packed for future defense. Stay safe, my fellow squirrels!.
Here’s a link to report these scams if you find them
🔗 BBB Scam Tracker: Employment Scams
Here’s some more information
BBB Scam Alert: Job hunting? Stay alert to resume formatting scams
Better Business Bureau warns of recent scam attempts: How you can report them
17 Common Job Scams and How To Protect Yourself | Indeed.com
Code Squirrel, Cyber Security in a Nutshell 
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