People across the country say they’re being targeted by an employment scam centered in Hartford. That’s the address being used in job offers for a company called Coast Healthcare Management, LLC. Job seekers say they were approached about a part-time proofreading position paying $60/hour.
“…the interview took place over Microsoft Teams exclusively through chat, with only a few questions asked. The information seemed legitimate but a bit too good to be true. They gave me a sample task to do, but before completing it (or sharing my address or phone number, as asked), I looked this up and discovered others had reported this as a scam,” reported one California resident.
Targets in New York, Missouri, Louisiana, Alabama, Wisconsin, Kentucky, and California say they were contacted via email after posting their resumes on LinkedIn and Indeed. Scam Tracker reports say the job offer comes from a Frederick Wilford of Coast Healthcare Management, LLC located at 45 S Main St. in Hartford. During its investigation, BBB, Connecticut discovered the website for a business by the same name, Coast Healthcare Management, LLC in Cypress, California. BBB, Connecticut attempted to reach the company several times over the last several months but did not receive a response.
A job scam tactic commonly reported to BBB’s Scam Tracker involves people posing as HR reps for real companies. In an attempt to make these job scams more “human,” scammers are impersonating real companies and using different names.
How to avoid employment scams
- Research job offers first. Visit a company’s website and look up its contact information. Verify the company exists and the job posting is real before you interact with a stranger. Do an internet search with the company’s name and the word “scam” to see if anyone has reported a fake job offer. Look on BBB.org to see any unresolved complaints or negative reviews.
- Be careful with your personal information.Never provide anyone with your personal information until you are sure you can trust them with it. Do all the necessary research before divulging anything personal. Never let someone pressure you into giving up your personal information because it’s a “now or never” offer.
- Watch out for easy hires.If a company claims they want to hire you without meeting you either virtually or in person, and if they don’t conduct a job interview, you’re probably dealing with a scammer.
Report scams to BBB’s Scam Tracker:
bbb.org/scamtracker