Better Business Bureau warns about job incentive scams

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — The pandemic really shook up the workforce, but as the economy starts to rebound, many businesses are reopening their doors and need workers. Some are offering hiring bonuses or higher pay.

"They’re offering incentives that a lot of people want right now," said Victoria Carreon with the Better Business Bureau.

However, Carreon said they have been getting a lot of calls about "work from home" scams or secret shopper scams.

One job alert came in the form of a text message. That’s already a red flag, but it boasted a nearly $500 check twice a week for just working 10 minutes a day. There was also a suspicious link – another red flag.

"Be wary if you just get a call or an email saying, ‘hey, I saw your resume, I want to offer you a job,’ if they didn’t really do an interview of they kind of just ask you a few questions and don’t really ask about your background," Carreon said. "Employers are hard up right now, but they still want to meet up with candidates who will be good fits for the long term."

Carreon said more consumers are arming themselves with knowledge, actually calling the Better Business Bureau to see if the job is sketchy before sending off their application. The biggest takeaway? There are jobs out there, but do your homework.