This week Crime Prevention Supervisor with the Boise Police Department is making sure we’re informed about the latest workplace scams.
Recent Workplace Related Scams:
- Boss/CEO Scam – These typically come by email or text message. The boss presents a need for the employee to go and buy hundreds, if not thousands of dollars in gift cards. The reasons are usually given are they are to give to an employee, a customer, for a meeting, etc. The boss is unavailable to talk in person and can only communicate by text or email. Once they purchase the gift cards, they are asked to send the gift card number and pin.
*Verify with your boss or someone else before buying cards and giving out numbers**
- COVID Scams – Recently a local business was contacted by phone by someone claiming to represent the Health District. With the additional work being performed by Health District during the pandemic, they needed to pay a small business fee of a few dollars. They then ask for a credit card number or bank account information to pay the fee over the phone. Unless they paid the fee immediately over the phone, they could be subject to a late fee of $300.
*Don’t give out financial information, such as credit card and bank accounts, over the phone unless you called them and know who you are dealing with**
- Employment scams – With people looking for work and even looking for jobs where they can work from home, we have seen people become unknowingly involved in helping others commit crimes. Criminals will purchase high-dollar items, such as computers or other electronics, online using stolen credit card numbers or accounts. Instead of having it shipped from the retailer to them, they will “hire people” for reshipping jobs. The person thinks they are accepting a great job where they can work from home, all they have to do is receive packages for the company, then mail them to other addresses. This also happens with receiving money and transferring it as well.
*Research potential employers, search for a job at their company or give their HR a call**
*If it’s a person you don’t know or a company you’ve never heard of before, don’t provide them with any of your personal information**
*Be wary of too easy for a too good to be true paycheck**
