Want A Side Gig? BBB Warns Of Job Scams This Holiday Season
If you are looking for a side gig this holiday season, you may want to think twice or at least look twice at a job posting you see online. The Better Business Bureau is warning that there are likely to be scams surrounding seasonal jobs this holiday season.
Scams, of course, are nothing new. There have been so many over the years and even recently. Just last month, The Minnesota Department of Transportation warned of a text message phishing scam that was impacting residents.
In early October, the Better Business Bureau warned of a new surprise text message scam for consumers. With this scam, people get a message offering a surprise deal or "pandemic discount" as a thank you for sticking with a business through the trying time of the pandemic. This is all just to get your banking or personal information.
Even local businesses have been hit by scams. A new pizzeria in Superior was the victim of a social media scam, with scammers posing as the restaurant on Facebook and asking for credit card information.
These are just a few of many examples of scams that have been circulating just in the past few months alone. Now with the holiday season, even more scams are likely to emerge.
The Better Business Bureau says that holiday scams are likely to start circulating now that Halloween is over and Thanksgiving is just around the corner.
With many trying to cash in on big shopping months and trying to make some extra cash for the holidays, the BBB says to look out for scammers trying to prey on people like this. Most importantly, they say to be careful if something seems too good to be true.
The BBB suggests using caution and opting to avoid jobs that offer big cash upfront or those that don't even want to interview you. According to the BBB, this is usually a good sign that something is a scam. Do a bit of research before applying to a job like this.
They also advise against applying for jobs that ask for money upfront for things like supplies, training fees, and the like. A reputable business likely wouldn't ask for these things.
Last but not least, the Better Business Bureau says to avoid working for an employer this holiday season that asks for things to be done before you are officially signed on.
While it is always nice to make a little more cash before the holiday season or during, use extra caution, especially in a year like this. The pandemic can at times cause confusion as there are many moving parts we haven't had to deal with before.
It is also a good idea to be aware of social media scams that seem to circulate around this time of year as well. There is a social media "Secret Santa" scam that pops up around Christmastime and can result in you losing a lot of money.