Looking for a new job? Be aware of fraudsters who are offering jobs

People looking to get back to work, or who are maybe are in search of a better job are becoming prime targets for fraudsters behind costly unemployment scams.

AND I'M ALASYN ZIMMERMAN..IN TODAYS NEWS FIVE DEEP DIVE...PEOPLE LOOKING TO GET BACK TOWORK-- OR MAYBE WHO ARE INSEARCH OF A BETTER JOB-- AREBECOMING MAJOR TARGETS FORFRAUDSTERS BEHIND COSTLYUNEMPLOYMENT SCAMS.NEWS 5'S PATRICK NELSON SHOWS USSOME THINGS TO THINK ABOUTDURING YOUR NEXT JOB SEARCH THATCOULD HELP YOU AVOID TROUBLE.PATRICKRIGHT NOW EMPLOYMENT EXPERTSTELL ME THERE ARE MOREJOB OPPORTUNITIES OUR THERE THANPEOPLE WHO ARE APPLYING TO WORK.SO IT'S UP TO EMPLOYERS TOATTRACT APPLICANTS-- BUT THOSEEXTRA INCENTIVES THAT USED TO BETOO GOOD TO BE TRUE-- ARECREATING AN OPENING FORFRAUDSTERS.VOEMPLOYMENT SCAMS ARE BEINGREPORTED TO THE FEDERAL TRADECOMMISSION IN RECORD NUMBERSSINCE THE START OF THE PANDEMICAIMING TO STEAL PERSONALINFORMATION OR MONEY FROM PEOPLELOOKING FOR A NEW JOB.FRAUD EXPERTS SAY THE PEOPLEBEHIND THESE SCHEMES WILL OFTENEXTEND JOB OFFERS THROUGH SOCIALMEDIA PLATFORMS, EMAILS, ANDEVEN TEXT MESSAGES.AND ABOUT 80-PERCENT OF THE TIMETHE FRAUDSTERS WILL CONTACTTHEIR TARGETS FIRST.SOTJ.MICHAEL SKIBA / CSU GLOBAL "DR.FRAUD""THEY COME AT YOU WITH SOMEENTICING THINGS TALKING ABOUTTHE JOB HOURS AND PAY AND THENTHEY ACTUALLY BRING YOU IN.SO ACTUALLY ONLY ABOUT 20% AREINITIATED BY THE JOB SEEKER.SO, THAT'S THE FIRST THING.IF YOU RECEIVE AN UNSOLICITEDEMAIL, TEXT, OR CALL FOCUSININGON THIS AREA."VOHERE ARE SOME EXPERT TIPS FORAVOIDING EMPLOYMENT SCAMS.FIRST-- NEVER PAY FOR ANYTHINGWITH YOUR MONEY DURING THEHIRING PROCESS.IF SOMEONE CALLS YOU ABOUT AJOB-- CALL THE COMPANY'S H-RDEPARTMENT TO CONFIRM THEY'REHIRING.SEARCH FOR COMPANY'S ADDRESS TOSEE IF IT ACTUALLY EXISTS.SEARCH THE NAME OF THE COMPANYFOLLOWED BY COMPLAINT ORSCAM.THE PIKES PEAK WORKFORCE CENTERSAYS ONE OF THE PLACES YOU CANSAFELY LOOK FOR JOB POSTINGS ISCONNECTING COLORADO DOT COM--WHERE EMPLOYERS HAVE BEENTHUROUGHLY VETTED.SOTTRACI MARQUIS / PIKES PEAKWORKFORCE CENTER"THERE'S A LOT OF DIFFERENTCHECKS AND BALANCES THAT WE HAVETO DO AS A FEDERAL AGENCY TOMAKE SURE THE JOB POSTINGS WEHAVE ONCONNECTINGCOLORADO.COM AREREAL."KATERINA TALESKA SAYS A COMPANYREACHED OUT TO HER THROUGHINDEED-- SHE REPORTED HEREXPERIENCE TO THE BETTERBUSINESS BUREAU OF SOUTHERNCOLORADO AFTER REALIZING BEINGASKED TO BUY EQUIPMENT AS PARTOF A JOB OFFER SEEMED FISHY.SOTKATERINA TALEKA / REPORTS BEINGTARGETED BY EMPLOYMENT SCAM"THE FACT THEY WANTED ME TO GOON THIS WEBSITE AND PAY FOR THEMMYSELF WAS A LITTLE SKETCHY.THEN, WHEN I ASKED ABOUT THEREIMBURSEMENT PROCESS THEY HADTOLD ME IT WOULD TAKE UP TO 3MONTHS FOR THEM TO REIMBURSE MEFOR THEIR EQUIPMENT THAT I WASWORKING ON.AT THAT POINT I KNEW IT WAS ACOMPLETE SCAMVOSHE IS NOT ALONE IN THISEXPERIENCE-- HERE'S A LOOK ATEMPLOYMENT SCAMS BY THE NUMBERS.THE BBB RECENTLY REPORTEDEMPLOYMENT SCAMS ARE THE 2NDRISKIEST SCAMS FOR CONSUMERS.PHONY JOB SCAMS ARE BEINGREPORTED TO THE FTC AT RECORDLEVELS SINCE THE PANDEMIC BEGAN.FROM JANUARY TO SEPTEMBER OFLAST YEAR CONSUMERS REPORTEDLOSING 150 MILLION DOLLARS TOTHESE TYPES OF SCAMS.PATRICKREMEMBER-- NO LEGITIMATE COMPANYWILL EVER SEND YOU A CHECK ANDTHEN TELL YOU TO SEND THEM PARTOF THAT MONEY, OR ASK FOR GIFTCARDS.THIS IS WHEN YOU LOSE MONEY--IT'S A SCAM.FIND KEY RESOURCES TO HELP YOUSTAY SAFE IN YOUR JOB SEARCH ATKOAA.COM.ALWAYS WATCHING OUT FOR YOU--PATRICK NELSON NEWS5PATRICK, THANKS..AND TO FIND MORE OF OUR NEWSFIVE DEEP DIVES..JUST HEAD TO OUR WEBSITE OR YOUCAN SEARCH FOR US ON YOURFAVORITE STREAMING DEVICE...AND IF YOU HAVE AN ISSUE YOUWANT US TO LOOK IN