LaJuanda Taylor

The tough economy and lackluster job market have increased desperation. I recently received an email from Career Builder; it was a company interested in hiring me to do medical billing from the comfort of my own home. Although I had not applied for the job, I assumed that the response was based on my Career Builder resume. That job offer sparked excitement and I was ready to rearrange my whole life based on the prospect. Why not? The pay was anywhere between $2,000 and $4,000 a month depending on experience.

I corresponded through email with the hiring manager and was sent a physician's recording to transcribe and return. This was a test to determine my eligibility and pay scale. Even at the lowest end of the scale, it was It more than I was making now. What mother to young children wouldn’t want to work from home? This was my dream job or so I thought.

The next day, based on the results of my test (which were good), I was invited to online training. This is the point where it the whole gig went downhill. When I logged on for training, they fully explained my duties and pay. Then they laid the scheme on me. It was a charge of $3,500 for the computer software which I needed before I could even start training. Then after training, I needed to pass a series of six tests before I could start work.

I was crushed. It was a work at home scam. You would think, coming from Career Builder that it was a real job. This is obviously the new way to scout out potential victims -- through employment listing websites. These companies are preying on the hopelessness and despair of the unemployed. If any job wants to charge you for something, just move on with your search because the right job will come along.

Has a scammer ever preyed on your desperation?

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