Scammers Posed As Better Business Bureau In Attempt To Rip-Off Desperate Job Seekers

NEW YORK(CBSNewYork) -- Many people turn to the Better Business Bureau when they suspect a scam.

The consumer group is known for protecting people from all sorts of scams, but it recently became the victim of one, CBS 2's Jericka Duncan reported.

"There was a bogus job offer in Craigslist saying that a BBB was opening up a new office and that we're hiring," Claire Rosenzweig, chief executive officer of the NYC Better Business Bureau, explained.

The posting for a fake job in California promised $25-40 per hour and did not require a resume or previous experience.

The phone number provided went directly to con artists posing as the agency. The scammers asked unsuspecting victims for a copy of their state ID and social security card.

"A lot of these scammers are looking for your identity so they can steal from you in a lot of different ways," Rosenzweig explained.

The scam is common, con artists use the name of a high-profile company to attract desperate job seekers. They ask for personal information and sometimes will even try to get money for a phony application fee or job training.

"You should not be paying on the promise of a job. Employers pay you. It shouldn't be the other way around," Rosenzweig said.

High paying job postings that say 'no experience' or 'no resume' should raise a red flag. If you are unsure about a job ad, go to the company's website to see if the job is posted there to verify if it is real or fake.

The Better Business Bureau found out about the fake posting after someone called them and alerted them about the Craigslist ad.

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