Recognize an online scammer:

1. They have encoded their phone number and email address:
   If you come across a profile with an encoded phone number and email address, DO NOT reach out to them. 
   
   If someone sends you a message with an encoded phone number and email address, DO NOT reach out to them. 
   
   EXAMPLE:
   An encoded phone number might look something like this
   Text 123...^*me...345...*at 6789...^ this number.
   
   EXAMPLE:
   An encoded email address might look something like this
   Kindly email anniesmith@  at g m a i l dot com
   
   EXAMPLE:
    Scammers may also break up their phone numbers in multiple messages. For example, they will send one message with the first 6 numbers of their phone number and a second message with the last 4 numbers of their phone number. 
   
   
2. They message saying, "I'm not currently on a premium plan," and ask you to forward your personal information to them or ask you to encode your phone number for them. DO NOT send your personal information. 
   
   
3. They don't require an interview:
   If an employer wants to hire you without meeting you in person or in a video chat, be extremely cautious. Ask questions and find out why.
   
   A common scammer technique is to say they are unable to speak over the phone or video because they are deaf, or unable to speak due to recent surgery. Don't fall for this!
   
   
4. Never accept advance payments from anyone:
   If someone is very keen on sending you money before meeting you, we can guarantee this is a scam! 
   
   A common scammer technique is to say they are a cheque to cover the cost of things like groceries, furniture, a deposit for your services, office supplies etc. Be very wary if this comes up in your conversations.
   
   If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is! No legitimate employer will ask you for your banking information or give you money without meeting with you.
   
   f you've received a cheque from someone without having met them first, don't deposit it! Bring it to your bank for review. They will be able to determine its validity and can advise you further on how to proceed.

We want to help you find a job, but we also want to alert you of some common internet scams to help you learn how to keep yourself safe. A scammer that uses a job posting site like ours is after one thing only – tricking you into giving them money. 

This is what a common online scam looks like:

• An online scammer will email or send a text message to a jobseeker, stating they are from outside of the US or Canada and need service. They will send a few messages back and forth with you to obtain your information. Once you’ve agreed to work for them, the scammer tells you they will send you a cheque, mobile cheque, or money order for an advance payment. Usually, this will be for more than the agreed amount, telling you the extra is for equipment or something similar. They will then ask you to deposit the money into your account and send the rest of the money to another person.
  
  What has happened is they’ve sent you a fake cheque, mobile cheque, or money order. By depositing it and sending the extra funds to someone, you’ve sent actual money to the other person, and you’re on the hook for the funds. After some time, the bank will see that the money you deposited doesn’t exist and will remove the amount from your bank account, but you’ve already sent some of it on, and maybe have spent some as well. So the bank turns to you for the missing money. This is called money laundering – turning fake money into real money.

Also, see, How do I protect myself on the site? 

Contact us: If you suspect someone that has contacted is a scammer, please submit a request right away. We take reports on members very seriously, so we will make your report a priority. The online security of all of our members is very important to us.

How do I report a scammer?

If you have found someone you believe to be a scammer, please contact Care Support immediately. 

When sending your report, be sure to provide the following information:

• The name of the user as it appears on site.
• The URL of the person’s profile and — if available.
• Please also provide an explanation as to why you believe they are a scammer. The more information you provide the better.
• Any relevant screenshots.

Once your report is received, we will look into their account right away and remove them so they cannot attempt to scam anyone else. We will respond to your email with what steps were taken with the individual in question.

How do I report a scammer through my inbox?

If you have received a message that is suspicious or inappropriate, we encourage you to report it immediately. Reporting concerning behaviour will help protect yourself and others from those acting with ill intentions.

To report a message:

1. Navigate to your Inbox and open the conversation with the person you want to report.
   
   
2. In the menu bar, above the conversation, you will see a flag icon. Click this icon and a pop-up will appear with the following options: 
   - Scam
   - Aggressive
   - Inappropriate
   - Irrelevant
   - Other
   
   
3. Select the option that best reflects your reasoning for reporting this message,  and click “Report.”

When a conversation is reported, our support team immediately receives a notification and is able to review it to determine whether the user will be permitted to remain on site. If removed, the user’s profile and conversation history will be immediately removed and they will no longer be able to communicate on-site.

Note: We do not follow up with whom reported the message as the notification we receive is automatic. If you would like details on how the situation was handled please do not hesitate to contact our support team directly and we will get back to you.

Additionally, all reports are kept confidential and not shared with the reported party.