Avoiding Virtual Assistant Scams
I have just received the most elaborate scam yet. I applied for a VA position within a company called Lotus that I found on Craigslist.org. I sent a cover letter to an ad posted for an “Administrative Assistant-Virtual Office”. I received a reply with a “TRIAL PERIOD AGREEMENT” attached in word format. It is 4 pages long and entails:
Notify employees of the probationary/trial period requirements
- Inform employees of job expectations in both performance and conduct.
- Counsel and provide feedback concerning performance
- Gather documentation throughout employees’ trial periods
-
TERMINATION
- REPORTING PROCEDURES
Trial Period Report
- Description – Virtual Assistant/Sales Support
-
Collecting Local Payments
- Forwarding of the Payments
Once you receive each payment you will be keeping 5% as commission and forwarding the rest to the seller or representative, whose information will be provided prior each transaction. It is crucial to complete forwarding of the payments in a time efficient manner.
If you see something like this discard it. If you have to pay for something or foward money after collecting it, its a scam. This is probably the most elaborate one I’ve seen with a contract and all. Beware of scams they are all over the place. Craigslist.org , usedvictoria.com , working.com they are everywhere!
Example here: Internet Scam
Can I ask why this is a scam? What is it that you have run into to know?
I would like some more input so that I don’t make the same mistake.
Chris
March 24, 2008
I have made the Scam more visible by highlighting it in RED. Never accept payments by processing through your own bank account and then sending the balance less ??% in this case 5%, because you do not know where this money originated from. It is a big scam. After keeping the 5% and processing your clients money … your bank will find out (sometimes takes 30 days or more) that the (money order/cheque) is fraudulent and freeze your account until the bank has recouped the ORIGINAL amount of the draft or cheque. Usually in the thousands. In my case it was $7,000. By the time the bank lets you know it is not a valid cheque or money order you have already forwarded the balance of the sum and cannot get it back. The bank will not help you.
I hope I have clarified this so anyone who reads this will not be scammed.
canadian virtual assistant
March 24, 2008