Step 11: Leave the Pretty Opportunities Alone
Typically I started off these blogs/lessons with an anecdote that leads into what I've learned. While my writing professors would be proud to read that structure, I can't start with a witty comment about my shortcomings. On my journey to make it back to New York, I was on the hunt for an online job to help pay the bills. Loans blindsiding me, everyday bills piling up an time ticking away all took a toll of me and my stress levels. Extra cash flow would help. During my search a woman posing as a major online job board representative gave me the bells and whistles for a staffing position. She sent over a job description, interview questions, FAQ, and contract. Great right?
Fast forward 6 months of training and waiting for payroll documents and I start to get nervous. Then shit hits the fan. Western Union transfers begin. Confused? Let me break this down. She would send money to my account. I would take the money out and send it overseas to "pay for equipment". I know, that was a red flag. Then I get a nice email from my employer and Western Union saying the funds will not be available because it was flagged for fraud. Bank of America felt the same way and put restrictions on my account. By the grace of God, I received the funds back. But the fun wasn't over.
Next thing I knew, the checks started to bounce. The overdrawn account fees accumulated. And finally, silence. It was then that I realized that I need to stop everything. I felt betrayed. Hoodwinked. Played by someone who had terrible grammar skills. Yes, I know. Another red flag. I was devastated because that road to school was now a dead end.
Clearly, the lesson is to be careful with your information. But the bigger lesson I caught is to keep things in perspective. Don't get so caught up in a goal that you lose something valuable on the way there. For more information on internet job scams, click these below!
https://www.monster.com/inside/money-laundering/inside2.aspx
https://www.rd.com/advice/saving-money/how-to-avoid-online-scams/
https://www.creditcards.com/credit-card-news/multilevel-marketing-credit-card-debt.php
https://www.bankrate.com/personal-finance/common-coronavirus-scams-to-watch-out-for/
