Vent: That fake 'data entry' job that sent me on a wild goose chase for 3 days
I spent last Wednesday through Friday chasing this 'data entry assistant' gig I found on a random job board. The ad said $28 an hour, fully remote, sounded too good to be true and man was it. First they wanted me to download some weird chat app for the 'interview' which was just a text conversation with a bot. Then they said I needed to pay $50 for a background check through their 'verified portal' which was really just a sketchy PayPal link. I almost did it but my gut said no. The next day they emailed saying I was hired and needed to buy $200 worth of office supplies from their 'approved vendor' for a refund later. I laughed and blocked them. Has anyone else run into this 'buy supplies then get reimbursed' scam? Its wild how detailed their lies get.
Yeah block and laugh is the right move. The buy supplies and get reimbursed thing is a classic scam, they just pressure you into sending money and disappear. I don't get how people fall for that stuff, there's no real job that makes you pay for your own stuff upfront before you even start.
I mean the "reimbursed" part is what gets people, it sounds official. But yeah, any job that asks you to front money for supplies before you even start is a huge red flag. Sad thing is scammers target people who are desperate for work, so they overlook the weirdness. Block and laugh is the only way to go.