Baie Verte RCMP is warning residents of a type of scam currently being reported in the community where the scammer posts job ads to local Buy and Sell groups on social media and conducts fake interviews with those who apply. The fraudster offers conditional employment, engages in a lengthy exchange and scams the person of money in the process.
Recently, a report was made by a victim who engaged in the false interview process and was told they were successful in obtaining employment. As a condition of their new employment, the scammer required the victim to forward letters to others who were not successful in the competition for the same job. The victim is then contacted by one of these 'unsuccessful applicants' and told they are owed money from the company. The scammer/ 'employer' then forwards cheques to the victim and asks the victim/new employee to purchase gift cards to send to this person who is owed money. By the time the victim is notified by their bank that the cheque was returned due to non-sufficient funds, the 'employer' has removed all of their contact information from the social media platform.
Do not accept cheques from a person or business who you have not verified as legitimate. Do not purchase gift cards on behalf of someone you do not know from your personal bank accounts.
March is Fraud Prevention Month in Canada. There have been multiple reports of fraudulent currency in the province recently, as well as various online and telephone scams. Learn more about scams and how to protect yourself here: https://antifraudcentre-centreantifraude.ca/index-eng.htm.
RCMP NL asks the public to discuss this type of scam with elders in their family or community.