BATON ROUGE, La. (WAFB) – Officials are warning about an increase in scams involving fraudulent job offers.
According to the Better Business Bureau (BBB) of South Central Louisiana, while employment scams are a persistent issue, there has been a noticeable increase in reported cases in recent weeks.
The BBB described the scam as text messages and emails impersonating well-known, trusted companies that promise quick, flexible, and high-paying work.
The BBB released the following tips to help job seekers avoid this scam:
Red Flags to Watch For
- You receive an unsolicited job offer via text or messaging apps
- The company offers unrealistic pay or benefits for simple online tasks
- They ask you to contact them on WhatsApp or Telegram
- You’re asked to pay money upfront or provide banking information (supposedly to withdraw future earnings)
Protect Yourself
- Research the company independently — use their official website only
- Never pay money to get hired or access tasks
- Avoid communicating exclusively via text, WhatsApp, or Telegram
- If something feels rushed, secretive, or “too good to be true,” walk away
- Report scam messages to BBB ScamTracker at bbb.org/scamtracker as well as the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov
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