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.

2 comments

2 Comments

john_murphy11d ago

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.

wendyc5311d agoTop Commenter

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.