I just wanted to share an experience I just had that may help others.
I got an email from an "employee" at Advanced Biodesign saying they had found my resume on Indeed and wanted to do an interview for a Graphic Web Assistant. They had me contact someone named A.B.D ` M. Espinoza on Google Hangouts. I went through the process of doing an interview and the next day said they'd hire me. They then sent me a job offer to sign and then sent a "check" to buy my office suite which I deposited. I started to get a weird feeling when they wanted me to buy my equipment through a Cash App. I was desperate for a job though and went through with it, sending $400.00. Luckily either something went wrong on the app or my bank is smarter than me because the payment didn't go through and I got refunded.Â
Espinoza then asked me how far I was from an ATM. Since the app payment didn't work he wanted me to withdraw the money and send it. This is when my senses finally overrode my desperation. I called my bank and told them I had doubts about the check so they put a hold on it. I then told Espinoza that I wouldn't continue the process until I had verification from my bank. He got very upset about it and I even got a call from the "CEO". He was cordial at first before I started poking holes in his story. Then he got angry. I hung up on him and haven't had contact since. I just got a call today (11/27/19) from my bank that the check was fake.Â
Later I found out that it is a common scam to send someone a fake check to get money out of them. Because of the law, when you deposit a check, the bank is required to make those funds available to you immediately. But it takes a few days for the bank to verify the check. So, whoever sent you the check will get you to send them money either through a Cash App or some other means once you deposit it. Then a few days later, you find out the check is fake, the bank removes the funds, and now you are out the money you just sent them, plus a punishment from your bank. In my case it was only a $5.00 fee but sometimes they can also suspend your account, or remove other privileges. So if you start to suspect the check you deposited was a fake, call your bank and explain what happened. You may still get hit with a fee but you may avoid other punishments.
I got emails through the “CEO” Ismail Ceylan, I talked with A.B.D ` M. Espinoza on Google Hangouts, and I have the phone number he used. The person on the phone claimed to be Mr. Ceylan. The Cash App account they wanted me to send money to was $accountingvendor with the user name Jermain Edwards.Â
This has happened to other people. You can find stories of this happening to other people on Jobcase. I’d like to leave a link but I don’t want this buried by Tumblr. If you search for “Advanced Biodesign scam jobcase” there should be a result titled “Possible Scam | Jobcase”. That has some stories people have shared about the same scammer.
Right now the only money I am out is a $5.00 fee from my bank for depositing a fake check. Although I’m embarrassed I got strung along for a week and looking back it was fairly obvious. I wish I hadn’t let my desperation override my common sense. I have filed a complaint with the FTC and messaged the legitimate company that their identity is being used but he will probably get away with preying on people desperate for a job.
TL;DR: Do not do job interviews over Google Hangouts. They will do the interview, hire you, send you a fake check to buy equipment, then trick you into giving them money. Only talk to employers through means that you can verify (i.e. the number is listed on the official site or the person you are meeting with is listed as an employee for the company on the LinkedIn/Employee page on the website).
I did not even now this was a scam people pulled. Be careful out there everyone.