North Jersey Job-Seeker Scammed When She Buys Supplies For 'Artist': Police

GLEN ROCK, NJ — A job-seeker in Glen Rock ended up losing money last week when a fake future employer told her to buy supplies.

Police said that on Saturday, a woman came to police headquarters to report that she was a victim of a job scam.

She said that she had responded to an ad online to work for an artist.

The woman got a response asking her to buy office supplies and gift cards for clients who had purchased the employer's art, she told police.

"The victim believed she was going to be reimbursed for the purchase with a check, which bounced when she tried to deposit it," police noted.

The victim gave information about the fraudulent job posting to the Detective Bureau for further investigation.

Job Scam Types

There are several types of "job scams" that are common, according to the Federal Trade Commission.

"They promise you a job, but what they want is your money and your personal information," says the FTC.

Type of job scams include work-from-home scams, allowing people to set their own hours and "be your own boss."

"Many people would like to make money working from home," the FTC says. "Scammers know this, so they place ads, often online, claiming that they have jobs where you can make thousands of dollars a month working from home with little time and effort. The job could be anything from reshipping products to selling things ... But instead of making money, you end up paying for starter kits, so-called training, or certifications that are useless."

The "fake check scam" is also listed on the FTC website.

The FTC advises people never to pay a fee to search for a job. More tips can be found here.