One of the most frustrating aspects of searching for a new job is to learn that the person who is supposedly doing the interviewing and hiring is not on the up and up. You get a strange request, one that you are tempted to comply with but something tells you to be cautious. Guess what? You should be cautious as scams abound. Some people are representing themselves as being someone whom they are not. Are you in danger of being taken for a ruse? Read on and we’ll take a look at some common scams out there and how you can and must avoid them.

The ad looks great, something that interests you. The company wants someone like you to crew their private jet, an aircraft that is based at an airport some twenty minutes from your home.  The pay is much higher than what you are currently making with the airlines and the idea of rubbing shoulders with the rich and famous has you excited.

Soon after you send off your resume, you receive a call from a company representative. He mentions that they would like to fly you in for an interview (wouldn’t you know it that even though the aircraft is based locally, their office is based clear across the country?) He then mentions that you need to send money for your ticket, reimbursable upon your arrival for the interview.

If you aren’t bothered yet by this request, then you need to get bothered.

On the Corporate Flight Attendant Community forums, this very same scam has been around for several years. You can read the thread titled, “So, Is This A Scam?” to follow the conversation — the comments are eerily the same: one person after another was relieved of their money. There was no interview, no job, and the person defrauded lost several hundred dollars when they wired funds to someone on the other end who was nothing but a con artist.

To avoid being conned, please keep in mind the following:

  • If the offer sounds too good to be true, then it is likely false.
  • If the so-called company representative wants you to wire them some money, a red flag should pop up. Who on earth would fly a person in for an interview and not pay their way?
  • Money transfer scams, particularly those involving Western Union, are very common.

You don’t have to be a victim, especially if you think things through.  Variations on the scam theme pop up too, so don’t be surprised if the scammer has a new twist to an old con. In all situations if you feel uncomfortable with what you are being told, then simply hang up and move on as the scammer will simply move on to the next poor sucker who didn’t take the time to think things through for himself.