A Bit of Good Fortune

[wanderer03]

Yesterday, I called out of work because I needed a mental health day. The thought of driving a bus full of a bunch of over-privileged, self-entitled corporate types was absolutely unbearable. I needed a longer weekend to recoup and regroup.

On a whim I decided to check the craigslist job boards for transportation jobs. Lo and behold I happened upon a small but growing company specializing in vehicle drive-away. For the uninitiated, you get paid to drive a vehicle to a new location. I heard horror stories about people getting scammed or treated horribly by these companies so I was skeptical.

Since I was in a bad mood, I just wanted to click on the craigslist prohibited button and move on. It was a good thing that I read a little further and that this company brings people on as independent contractors and gives you a company credit card to handle all vehicle expenses, including travel. It looks like life presented me with an opportunity to become an independent contractor earlier than I had planned, and an easier entry to beat.

Please wish me luck. I hope they approve my application and I hope that the work is plentiful!

 

[Judge]

Yesterday, I called out of work because I needed a mental health day. The thought of driving a bus full of a bunch of over-privileged, self-entitled corporate types was absolutely unbearable. I needed a longer weekend to recoup and regroup.

On a whim I decided to check the craigslist job boards for transportation jobs. Lo and behold I happened upon a small but growing company specializing in vehicle drive-away. For the uninitiated, you get paid to drive a vehicle to a new location. I heard horror stories about people getting scammed or treated horribly by these companies so I was skeptical.

Since I was in a bad mood, I just wanted to click on the craigslist prohibited button and move on. It was a good thing that I read a little further and that this company brings people on as independent contractors and gives you a company credit card to handle all vehicle expenses, including travel. It looks like life presented me with an opportunity to become an independent contractor earlier than I had planned, and an easier entry to beat.

Please wish me luck. I hope they approve my application and I hope that the work is plentiful!

You brought up the issue of scams. Just be very, very careful along the lines of them issuing a company credit card and what they may ask of you in terms of verifying your credit record. It might be legitimate or not depending on what information they ask of you to provide to them. There are known criminal phishing schemes along such lines with Craigslist.

 

[wanderer03]

You brought up the issue of scams. Just be very, very careful along the lines of them issuing a company credit card and what they may ask of you in terms of verifying your credit record. It might be legitimate or not depending on what information they ask of you to provide to them. There are known criminal phishing schemes along such lines with Craigslist.

What would send up a warning flag?

 

[Judge]

What would send up a warning flag?

1. Just the fact they make a point of mentioning a company credit card in the job description.

2. Google "credit card verification scams" associated with Craigslist.

Simple premise here: If they ask you to tender any personal financial information in the way of account numbers....run- don't walk away. It's very easy to rationalize such a request as conditions of receiving a company credit card. And very costly if you give information you shouldn't have to in the first place.

 

[wanderer03]

1. Just the fact they make a point of mentioning a company credit card in the job description.

2. Google "credit card verification scams" associated with Craigslist.

I've made a mistake. There was no mention of a credit card in the job description. They told me this over the phone when I called them. Here is the link to the job: http://philadelphia.craigslist.org/trp/5594448307.html. Please let me know if you think anything is suspect.

 

[Judge]

I've made a mistake. There was no mention of a credit card in the job description. They told me this over the phone when I called them. Here is the link to the job: http://philadelphia.craigslist.org/trp/5594448307.html. Please let me know if you think anything is suspect.

They want your Social Security Number up front. That's a red flag to me, considering you don't even have their DBA. You might want to exercise due-diligence before ever contacting them to find out if the phone number and operation match...and are in fact a legitimate business entity.

Investigate the address and the phone number. Someone apparently logged this phone number into "Mr. Number", but it only indicates a 1% spam rating. Hard to say if people are just checking up on the number just as I did.

http://mrnumber.com/1-404-496-4639

Note this link that indicates a law practice which resides at this address. It doesn't match the phone number at all. Yet the web address for the law practice apparently no longer exists. New occupant? Maybe. Maybe not...hard to say.

http://pview.findlaw.com/view/3313058_1

 

[wanderer03]

Dang it! I knew I shouldn't have gotten my hopes up. Their website is awfully cheezy for claiming they've been in business for 25 years.

 

[wanderer03]

I'm looking them up on the FMCSA website now.

 

[Judge]

Mr. Number also reports the fax number as not a valid number. It may be spoofed. Not lookin good. Not sure how this works though with this service regarding fax numbers. But Mr. Number if pretty reliable regarding voice numbers.

http://mrnumber.com/1-844-331-4515

If this a legitimate job advertisement it sure has a lot of issues.

 

[Warmheart]

Would legitimate, trustworthy, solid, safe, strong businesses that have been around for decades be on Craigslist? (I honestly don't know, am asking) This is a company I would check out first with The Better Business Bureau, Google, anything, prior to them getting any financial info including social security number. Just seems shifty, that they are on Craigslist, a place where there is no real consumer protection for transactions.

 

[Judge]

Would legitimate, trustworthy, solid, safe, strong businesses that have been around for decades be on Craigslist? (I honestly don't know, am asking) This is a company I would check out first with The Better Business Bureau, Google, anything, prior to them getting any financial info including social security number. Just seems shifty, that they are on Craigslist, a place where there is no real consumer protection for transactions.

Indeed. A longtime responsible business entity wouldn't remain anonymous with such a posting, let alone post it on Craigslist. If they aren't willing to post their DBA...something is wrong.

 

[wanderer03]

Large trucking companies like Swift and U.S. Xpress post help wanted ads on craigslist.

 

[Judge]

Large trucking companies like Swift and U.S. Xpress post help wanted ads on craigslist.

Do they show their DBA up front in their advertisements?

What would be the purpose of keeping it anonymous?

 

[wanderer03]

This is definitely a scam. They don't even have a current for-hire operating authority which is a requirement. Okay, I am not filling out this application or going any further with these guys.

 

[wanderer03]

Judge, thank you for being the voice of reason.

 

[Judge]

Judge, thank you for being the voice of reason.

Glad to help. I get on the average 3 to 5 criminal scam phone calls each week. I investigate them all...never allowing them to actually talk to me. In about 99% of all cases, they are reported as criminal in nature.

Keeps me on top of my game. It's just tragic though to live in times where criminals can so easily reach out to us to steal.

Bottom line: Due diligence. Research anyone before directly approaching them. Default to being suspicious. It's not a crime to look out for yourself when criminal fraud is so prevalent. And the Internet has some decent "tools" to protect yourself in such circumstances.

 

[wanderer03]

This company could also be operating illegally. I responded to their email asking the question about why they don't have operating authority. They have a valid DOT number but anyone can get that.

 

[Judge]

This company could also be operating illegally. I responded to their email asking the question about why they don't have operating authority. They have a valid DOT number but anyone can get that.

I used to also underwrite commercial inland marine coverages. Trip-transit/cargo policies and such. There's so much broad-ranged corruption in certain jurisdictions operating in plain sight too. Oh my.

 

[Cosmophylla]

It's a pity this bit of good fortune didn't work out for you, wanderer03.

At least you can now report them and that may prevent someone else for falling for the scam. I suppose that's one good thing to come from it.

 

[forowls]

1. Just the fact they make a point of mentioning a company credit card in the job description.

2. Google "credit card verification scams" associated with Craigslist.

Simple premise here: If they ask you to tender any personal financial information in the way of account numbers....run- don't walk away. It's very easy to rationalize such a request as conditions of receiving a company credit card. And very costly if you give information you shouldn't have to in the first place.

This is actually a huge red flag, according to a website discussing specific Craigslist Scams; here's a direct quote from the site:


7. The Job Bait
With unemployment as high as it is, people out there are desperate for work. And when jobs are in such high demand, scammers come out of the woodwork.

Here's the scam. You will see a job offer that sounds wonderful, with great salary and benefits. But when you apply, you could face any number of potential cons. They include: fake background check services and credit report sites that steal your information, being reimbursed to sign up for "free" offers, fee-based training for the potential job, and bogus focus group and survey sites.

Your best bet is to thoroughly research any company offering a job. Use the BBB, make sure they have a phone number you can call for information, and run from any posting asking for fees up front.