MILWAUKEE — A new warning to those on the job hunt. Experts are finding job sites are swamped with fake postings. In some cases, people are pretending to be employees of companies that are then reaching out to potential hires to get information.
Marissa Ross just graduated from Waukesha County Technical College.
"I was looking for full-time graphic design positions," Ross said.
In hopes of finding the right fit, Ross uploaded her resume online. Last month, a company reached out to her.
"We started to set up an interview, but it was kind of weird because it was a text-only Skype interview," Ross explained.
Ross said she went through with the text interview, and hours later, she was offered the supposed job.
"That's when I was like, this isn't right," Ross said.
Ross went to the company's direct sight and talked with a human resources representative. She told the I-Team the HR rep said the alleged job she interviewed for wasn't real.
"We're seeing this kind of thing constantly. Employment scams are on the uptick," Lisa Schiller said.
Schiller's the director of investigations and media relations for the Better Business Bureau. She said that compared to last year, fake job reports have tripled.
From January through March, Schiller said, nationwide, customers lost $840,000.
"A legitimate company will not ask you for personal information on the front end, such as your social security number and banking information," Schiller explained.
Schiller said if a company reaches out to you, apply directly on the company's website. She even recommends calling the company to verify the email or job posting is legit.
"I'm more aware of the interview process now, and I'm thankful that I didn't send over any money or anything like that," Ross said.
If you've fallen victim to a fake job posting, you can report it to the BBB.
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