Kitchener-Waterloo

Job applicant scam making the rounds in Waterloo region

Applicant for a job posted online was scammed out of money after promises of work turned out to be fake.

The victim gave out personal information during the application process

Waterloo Regional Police have received a report of an employment scam operating locally. A person in the region who applied for an online job lost money because of counterfeit cheques. (iStockphoto)

Waterloo Regional Police are warning people applying for jobs posted online to be aware of a local scam. A person in the region lost an undisclosed amount of cash after sending in a job application.

The applicant received a response from a potential employer who said the administrative role would be representing a company in a satellite location with no physical office location, said police.

The applicant gave personal information on the job application and followed a set of instructions.

The first job involved depositing cheques into a bank account, withdrawing those funds and forwarding them to another location. The cheques turned out to be counterfeit and the applicant lost money as a result.

Police warn anyone applying for an online job to research the company before accepting the job, ask appropriate questions and ensure the company is legitimate before giving out any personal information.

Police are asking people who see suspicious online job postings or have any information on this specific scam to call police at 519-570-9777 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.