Is the job a scam? Asking for credit score before interviewing

Mangana in San Diego, California said: Here is what I received. They also responded with additional job duties (in the first paragraph) to make it seem more legitimate.

You seem very qualified for this position, and more so than the other 17 applicants we received resumes from. I would like to take it to the next step with you. So, just before I am able to schedule a formal meeting, my company will require that you obtain a recent (past 1-2 business days) credit report. We started this due to the fact our company had some bad incidents with a couple prior employees taking advantage of having access to a company credit card.

Both myself along with the provider prefer that you use this Credit Report to acquire your check as they are currently offering the check at zero cost to you (unlike other locations). We also discovered that their scores are constantly reported back with the most accurate data, but feel free to use any service you like.

Once you submit all of the required information, they will show you your personal report. Please print it out and save it for your records. Please do not email me the entire report, as it'll have private content. We can discuss it when we meet in person. When you have a lower than expected credit score, it'll never prevent you from a position with us. I actually had a fairly low score when I started working here.

Once your finished please e-mail me your phone number where you can be quickly reached, and your availability so that I can arrange an interview with you.

Personally, I am hoping to fill this position with a new friendly face and am very much looking forward to your quick response.

Sincerely,
Angelina White
Alpha Enterprises LLC - H.R. Dept.

I received this exact E-amail this morning, I'm so glad
I checked this out.Everything word for word is the same
I have not responded in any way, just read it and knew
something was up. Isn't there any way to put these people
in jail?

I applied for a parts job and got the same email as above except with a Michael F. . There should be something that can be done to catch these people. The Law should trace thier IP address can catch them.

=__---,.=_,,-__-.-,.,-,.,.=,-=_--__
,,-,.-=_,=_-.,,_=,,=._,,_-.,,._._-..,
,,.,=_.,=-,,.,--=.,-,,,___._.-=
._--,_-,,.-===-=.-_.__-._=-_==.
_=._-.____,_.=-...,,=__====.==,,==_,,_=_

Hello Mayfield,

First and foremost, thank you for your interest in the home. I am available to show the house this week
if that fits your schedule.

Just to give you a little more information about the home, the water, trash
and garbage are paid by us. The security deposit can be paid in 2 installments if money is tight. (I know how that can be).
The house has a fenced in backyard and we do allow pets. The deposit per pet is a one time payment.
The house includes a washer and dryer, and we pay for lawn care so the renter does not have to cut the grass.
There is NO application fee (our company policy and guarantee).

I will be happy to show the house at an agreed upon time and date but I do require that all applicants and
additional renters who will be living in the home complete a free credit report to ensure their eligibility.
I have so many people apply for homes that I have to make sure they are qualified renters before I show the property.
This ensures neither of us will be wasting our time.

It is okay if you have bad credit (trust me). We just check to make sure that you don't have several evictions on
your record. (We won't rent if you have 3 or more evictions on your record)

I also had to recently stop giving out the exact address of rental properties before I am able to show them because
last time I did that the house was vandalized (I will be glad to send you the address right after your reply) I assure
you though that this is a very safe neighborhood. I actually lived in this home for 2 years (very cozy).

As soon as you can, please click and go to the secure website link below to complete the free credit report: (takes about 30 seconds)
Once you complete, I'll call you once I receive the information from the credit company (very quick

Wow. I'm also looking for work and replied to an ad for an Administrative Assistant job. I sent it last night and got this reply less than 12 hours later, and was suspicious from the get-go since they'd "already" narrowed it down to 3 potential applicants, including me.

"I would like to take this moment to thank you for your response to our Craigslist job posting, as well as inform you that, after reading through your resume, we are interested in discussing this job opportunity with you in person. As of this moment, we have narrowed the field down to 3 potential candidates, yourself being one of them.

I would like to congratulate you in making it to the next step of our hiring process. As part of our company's policy, and to protect our company from liabilities and potential issues, the next step of the hiring process includes getting your credit score checked. Please be aware, that a poor score in no way disqualifies you from the position, but simply helps us to get a better understanding of you, and what we can expect from you as an employee.

So we have arranged a FREE service at www.creditreport.com for you to obtain your score. Once you have completed this process, please email me the confirmation # ASAP, so we can move forward. Do NOT include your SSN or any private information in any emails. Please perform this step as soon as you can, as we would like to fill the position soon. Once we receive confirmation that you have completed this step, myself or Mr. Levy, our office manager, will get back to you to set up the face to face interview.

Again, thank you for your interest, and I hope to hear from you soon.

---

Janey Klein, VP of Operations

Smiths Hardware Ltd.

www.smithshardwaretools.com"

THIS IS RIDICULOUS. Where can we report this??

Joseph in Tampa, Florida said: I received the same email!

Blah blah blah,

(word for word same as Joseph in Tampa's email)
Sincerely,
Angelina White
Alpha Enterprises LLC

Thanks so much for posting this so I could see I got the very same fishing expedition. Like everyone else just looking for honest work, we have to be extra vigilant against these leeches. BEWARE THE WOLVES!

Hula in Mountain View, California said: Hello,

I read this reply 4 months ago, but have just received the same kind of email today! is this stuff for real?!

Thank you so much for your interest in our job opening.

I appreciate that you contacted us. In case our placement was not clear, a few of the responsibilities of this position are as follows:

: You will be answering phone calls and taking messages when applicable
: You will be scheduling the company meetings and appointments
: Run errands for the organization, for example to purchase supplies and make bank deposits.
: You will be provided with a company vehicle.
: While you are running errands, you'll also be given one of our credit card(s) for all company purchases.
You seem very qualified for this position, and more so than the other 17 applicants we received resumes from. I would like to take it to the next step with you. So, just before I am able to schedule a formal meeting, my company will require that you obtain a recent (past 1-2 business days) credit report. We started this due to the fact our company had some bad incidents with a couple prior employees taking advantage of having access to a company credit card.

Both myself along with the provider prefer that you use this Credit Report to acquire your check as they are currently offering the check at zero cost to you (unlike other locations). We also discovered that their scores are constantly reported back with the most accurate data, but feel free to use any service you like.

I got screwed by Mrs. White too... I was super excited until about half way through when she asked for my credit report. I threw an orange at my computer screen and cursed the ficticious Mrs. White to go straight to Hades.

I got this email response for a job posting on Craigslist. It appears that it is now using usajobscreening.org. Like an idiot excited just to receive a response, I sent them the info. I did, however, call the credit agencies and put a fraud alert on my information. Has anyone noticed any fradulent activity with their accounts, info, etc? Looking for a job is stressful enough, now this?!?
Message body

Dear Applicant,

Thank you your interest in this position.

I am a manager of the application screening company. Our organization is hired by small and large companies and businesses to find the qualified applicants in numerous areas.

Our client has forwarded us your recent email for this position. After reviewing your resume and backend information we have decided to move forward with qualification process. The client is looking for the right applicant for immediate hiring as the position is currently vacant. Please fill in our short application through the secure website as a next step before the live interview. This will take less than 5 minutes. Once you have submitted the form, our manager will contact you within 3-5 business days.

The secure online application is here:
usajobscreening.org/application

Personal Application #:

Please note that application number is valid for 24 hours.

Kind Regards,
Kim R.
Human Resources Manager
UsaJobScreening.Org

SpaM Pooffery!

What kind of a fool do you think I am!? First of all, learn how to spell a sentence Mrs. Manager. And secondly, it's very obvious that your scaMMing the public just from looking at your domain... www.usajobscreening.*ORG*??? Get the hell outa hear! If it's USA dot, then it's dot GOV!

Rubbish below: Kind regards my ass!
---------------------------------------
Dear Applicant,

Thank you your interest in this position.

I am a manager of the application screening company. Our organization is hired by small and large companies and businesses to find the qualified applicants in numerous areas.

Our client has forwarded us your recent email for this position. After reviewing your resume and backend information we have decided to move forward with qualification process. The client is looking for the right applicant for immediate hiring as the position is currently vacant. Please fill in our short application through the secure website as a next step before the live interview. This will take less than 5 minutes. Once you have submitted the form, our manager will contact you within 3-5 business days.

Please note that application number is valid for 24 hours.

Kind Regards,
Kim R.
Human Resources Manager
UsaJobScreening.Org

Same exact thing happened to me today and I did what you did. Same person too..Kim R, mine was for Sabre-Holdings. Guess they are everywhere, what a shame, people are seriously looking for work.

katie in Holden, Massachusetts said: I got this email response for a job posting on Craigslist. It appears that it is now using usajobscreening.org. Like an idiot excited just to receive a response, I sent them the info. I did, however, call the credit agencies and put a fraud alert on my information. Has anyone noticed any fradulent activity with their accounts, info, etc? Looking for a job is stressful enough, now this?!?
Message body

Dear Applicant,

Thank you your interest in this position.

I am a manager of the application screening company. Our organization is hired by small and large companies and businesses to find the qualified applicants in numerous areas.

Our client has forwarded us your recent email for this position. After reviewing your resume and backend information we have decided to move forward with qualification process. The client is looking for the right applicant for immediate hiring as the position is currently vacant. Please fill in our short application through the secure website as a next step before the live interview. This will take less than 5 minutes. Once you have submitted the form, our manager will contact you within 3-5 business days.

The secure online application is here:
usajobscreening.org/application

Personal Application #:

Please note that application number is valid for 24 hours.

Kind Regards,
Kim R.
Human Resources Manager
UsaJobScreening.Org

I got the same one but I know that companies that are really interested in hiring you will have you sign at an interview for permission to do a background check. I believe it is scam toget you enrolled in the credit report program. Most people do not realize there is going to be a monthly fee if the person does not cancel. I have run across similar things before. When they send an email back that fast or send after normal business hours, my scam alert goes off. If there is a business name, I Google it. Also, I go to the link and look at the date at the bottom of the page to see if it is a placement company. In this instance the site is dated 2011. A "reputable" company that has worked for years is not going to be that young and they are typically going to have other pages or links that tell you about the company, clients, type of work they do placements for, etc. I hope this helps.

August 27, 2011 iteration

Thank you so much for your interest in our job opening.

I appreciate that you contacted us. In case our placement was not clear, a few of the responsibilities of this position are as follows:

: You will be answering phone calls and taking messages when applicable
: You will be scheduling the company meetings and appointments
: Run errands for the organization, for example to purchase supplies and make bank deposits.
: You will be provided with a company vehicle.
: While you are running errands, you'll also be given one of our credit card(s) for all company purchases.
You seem very qualified for this position, and more so than the other 17 applicants we received resumes from. I would like to take it to the next step with you. So, just before I am able to schedule a formal meeting, my company will require that you obtain a recent (past 1-2 business days) credit report. We started this due to the fact our company had some bad incidents with a couple prior employees taking advantage of having access to a company credit card.

Both myself along with the provider prefer that you use this Credit Report to acquire your check as they are currently offering the check at zero cost to you (unlike other locations). We also discovered that their scores are constantly reported back with the most accurate data, but feel free to use any service you like.

Once you submit all of the required information, they will show you your personal report. Please print it out and save it for your records. Please do not email me the entire report, as it'll have private content. We can discuss it when we meet in person. When you have a lower than expected credit score, it'll never prevent you from a position with us. I actually had a fairly low score when I started working here.

Once your finished please e-mail me your phone number where you can be quickly reached, and your availability so that I can arrange an interview with you.

Personally, I am

Thank you so much for your interest in our job opening.

I appreciate that you contacted us. In case our placement was not clear, a few of the responsibilities of this position are as follows:

: You will be answering phone calls and taking messages when applicable
: You will be scheduling the company meetings and appointments
: Run errands for the organization, for example to purchase supplies and make bank deposits.
: You will be provided with a company vehicle.
: While you are running errands, you'll also be given one of our credit card(s) for all company purchases.
You seem very qualified for this position, and more so than the other 17 applicants we received resumes from. I would like to take it to the next step with you. So, just before I am able to schedule a formal meeting, my company will require that you obtain a recent (past 1-2 business days) credit report. We started this due to the fact our company had some bad incidents with a couple prior employees taking advantage of having access to a company credit card.

Both myself along with the provider prefer that you use this Credit Report to acquire your check as they are currently offering the check at zero cost to you (unlike other locations). We also discovered that their scores are constantly reported back with the most accurate data, but feel free to use any service you like.

Once you submit all of the required information, they will show you your personal report. Please print it out and save it for your records. Please do not email me the entire report, as it'll have private content. We can discuss it when we meet in person. When you have a lower than expected credit score, it'll never prevent you from a position with us. I actually had a fairly low score when I started working here.

Once your finished please e-mail me your phone number where you can be quickly reached, and your availability so that I can arrange an interview with you.

Personally, I am hoping to fill this position

I got the same message. Mine went into my junk folder and I didn't notice it was there for 2 days (lucky me). I sent them a reply that stated that and to send me a new application number. Then I started doing research. Well needless to say when and IF they send me a new application number I will NOT be completing it.

Dear Applicant,

Thank you your interest in this position.

I am a manager of the application screening company. Our organization is hired by small and large companies and businesses to find the qualified applicants in numerous areas.

Our client has forwarded us your recent email for this position. After reviewing your resume and backend information we have decided to move forward with qualification process. The client is looking for the right applicant for immediate hiring as the position is currently vacant. Please fill in our short application through the secure website as a next step before the live interview. This will take less than 5 minutes. Once you have submitted the form, our manager will contact you within 3-5 business days.

The secure online application is here:
usajobscreening.org/application

Personal Application #:

Please note that application number is valid for 24 hours.

Kind Regards,
Linda J.
Human Resources Manager
UsaJobScreening.Org

Here is my exchange with them. I didn't even bother completing the form.

Dear Applicant,

Thank you for your interest.

I am a human resources manager of the job application screening company. Our organization is helping companies and businesses to find qualified applicants in different areas.

Our client has forwarded us your recent inquiry about a vacant position. After reviewing your resume and backend information we have decided to move forward with screening process. This position is open for immediate hiring, and the client is looking for the right applicant as soon as possible.

Please fill in our short application form through the secure website as a next step before live interview. This will take less than 5 minutes. After completion I will get back to you within 3-5 business days.

You can find an online application here:
usajobscreening.org/application

Your Personal Application Number is ########
Please note that application number is valid for 24 hours.

Kindest Regards,
Helen A.
Human Resources Manager
UsaJobScreening.Org

Dear Helen,

Due to the confidentiality of the information required to complete a credit check, the nature of the job advertisement location, the obscurity of the company and the unsecured web site I prefer not to complete this application without first speaking with someone or preferably completing such an application in person.

I sincerely hope you understand my situation with identity theft at an all time high.

Thank you.

Sincerely,

Hi, I also am curious about something on craigslist, being that I am a job seeker.
I have emailed multiple job listings on craigslist and have received an email response from 2 people for 1 job. The job posting reads like "Must be able to meet the following employee requirements. The ability to perform alone and in a group, the ability to problem solve, transportation to and from work, we need to trust you, someone detail oriented, a positive mindset, & must be interested in working For any more information send email only."

The email I received from the first person asked me to take a quiz which would not affect my eligibility to be hired. It brought me to a 10 question IQ test, which was VERY VERY easy. I replied saying I was still interested in the position, but felt the quiz was suspicious, and refused to do it since they said it did not affect my eligibility to be hired. The second person who replied to me said that for them to hire me, they have integrated craigslists' phone # verification system into their process and would need me to verify my phone # because they have been receiving a lot of spam from craigslist. I replied to the email in a very human, non spammy fashion explaining I wasn't spam. Both links in the emails I have received from both people now bring me to entirely different links. Should I report them as spam?

Alysha in San Diego, California said: I also received that EXACT email yesterday morning. I didn't use the hyperlink they posted in the email but I entered creditreport.com myself in my browser and started the membership to get my credit report. Is the website creditreport.com legit or is it the hyperlinked link in the email that is bad? Now I'm all nervous. I was felt suspicious because the email is a gmail account but I hadn't googled in depth if this was a scam until after i did the credit report thing.

I just got the same e-mail, pretty much word-by-word, this morning. I clicked on the link that was provided in the email, and it directed me to creditreport.com/dni . But I opened up a new tab and entered in just creditreport.com ...it had no /dni after it. Every url in the link from the email has a /dni after it so I'm assuming it's fake. I think I'd rather miss a potential job opportunity than be a victim of identity theft

THANK YOU

THANK YOU

THANK YOU

Just applied for a job and had the same kind of response about a "screening portal", I didn't do the credit check and checked the web to see if there was any info. This was the gist of the email they sent me:

"Dear Applicant,

Thank you for showing interest in this position.

I am a placement specialist for The Screening Portal. We are hired by small and large companies to place them with qualified applicants in your area.

Our client forwarded us your response from the ad for this position. After reviewing this, they are interested in moving forward with you to gain further information about you regarding this position. Our client is a little short on time, as the position is currently vacant. We want to move forward as soon as possible. Please complete our simple questionnaire through our secure portal as preparation. Once you have submitted this, we will be in touch within 3-5 days. Please note that we may contact you via phone after your initial information is received. The questionnaire takes less than 5 minutes.

The secure portal is here:
thescreeningportal.com /portal.php"

This is a scam I got the same message on my email. I am only sorry that I cannot remember which ad this scam goes with so that I can report them to the BBB and get it removed from Craigslist. My first indication was the the website was not secure...BEWARE!

Same thing as others:

Dear App l icant,

Thank yo u for y our i nterest.

I am a huma n resources m an ager of the job ap plication sc reening company. Our orga ni zation is helpi ng c ompan ies a nd businesse s t o find qualified a pplicants in diff e ren t ar e as.

Our client has forw arded us you r recent inqu iry about a v acant position. After revi ewing your r esume and backend i nforma tion we have decid ed to m ove for ward wit h scree n in g proce ss. Thi s p osition is open for immediat e hir i ng, an d the client is loo k in g for t he righ t applica nt as s oon as po s s ible.

Pleas e fill in our short a pplication form t hrough th e secu re website a s a next st ep bef o re live interview. This wi ll take less t han 5 minutes. After comp l etion I w i ll g e t b a ck to you within 3-5 business da ys.

You can find an o nlin e appli cation h e re:
applicationscreening.org/

You r Person al App li ca tion Number is

Ple a s e not e th at app lica ti on number is val id for 24 hours.

Ki ndest Rega r ds,
Susan T.
Huma n Re sou rces Man ager

My first thought was that I didn't send a resume. I just inquired about the job and asked if they needed it. The generic letter says that they reviewed my resume. I also noticed spelling and grammar errors. I was suspicious but need a job so I started the survey/application, but once I got to the part about the credit check, I googled the site to see if I came up with any scams and got this. Even the survey/application thing had spelling errors. Doesn't seem like that would be the case on a professional website.

THANK YOU to everyone on here. I obviously did not feel this was right, so I looked for help and am glad you all know that this is a scam. Here's another "employer" in on the craigslist scam.

I would like to take this moment to thank you for your response to our Craigslist job posting, as well as inform you that, after reading through your resume, we are interested in discussing this job opportunity with you in person. As of this moment, we have narrowed the field down to 3 potential candidates, yourself being one of them.

I would like to congratulate you in making it to the next step of our hiring process. As part of our company's policy, and to protect our company from liabilities and potential issues, the next step of the hiring process includes getting your credit score checked. Please be aware, that a poor score in no way disqualifies you from the position, but simply helps us to get a better understanding of you, and what we can expect from you as an employee.

So we have arranged a FREE service at www.creditreport.com for you to obtain your score. Once you have completed this process, please email me the confirmation # ASAP, so we can move forward. Do NOT include your SSN or any private information in any emails. Please perform this step as soon as you can, as we would like to fill the position soon. Once we receive confirmation that you have completed this step, myself or Mr. Levy, our office manager, will get back to you to set up the face to face interview.

Again, thank you for your interest, and I hope to hear from you soon.

---

George Owen

Head Administrator

James Miles Recovery, LLC

www.jamesmiles.net

I received a similar email. Having been scammed before, while finding a job, I first google'd this. Thank God that I found this. Due to my anger and disappointment....I replied to her email. Here it is for ALL to see....Enjoy!!!

Dear Very Important Recruiter (or whatever),

Thank you for your response, however, I am not willing to pull my credit report and then send it to you via email. It is both careless and irresponsible. Furthermore, after further research, it appears this is a scam. Being aware of the economy (in the USA), in case you're not an American, one would think that not having a job at all is FAR better than having a job to purposely manipulate and cheat other American's. Just Saying!!! It is people like you and scams...like the one you solely represent....that make it difficult, even impossible, to find a job. I am sure none of this is causing a tear in your eye or a lost moment of sleep, but KNOW this....we are ALL judged one day for our behavior...and you too will be judged, my friend. With that said, f*** you very much and have a great day.

As bad as I need a job and this is the only reply I got...and I fear it is a scam of course; a craigslist job for an account manager; What do you guys think? I smell a rat; copy and pasting it here even looks weird....check it:

Dear Applicant,

Than k you for yo ur i n terest.

I a m a huma n re sources manage r of the j o b application screening company. Our o rgan ization is helping compa nies and busine s ses t o fin d qual ified ap pl i cants in di fferent areas.

Our cl ient ha s f orw ard ed us your re cent i n quiry about a vacant posi tion. After reviewing yo ur re sume and backend in for mation we hav e decide d to mo ve forward with scre en ing process. Thi s po sit i on i s ope n for imm edi at e hirin g, an d the client is looking f or the r i gh t ap plic ant as soon as possible.

Ple ase fill in our short applic a tion form th ro u gh the secure website as a next st ep b e f ore l ive interview. Thi s wi ll t ake le ss t han 5 minu tes. Afte r completio n I wil l get b ack to yo u wi thi n 3-5 busines s days.

You ca n find an online appl ication he re:
applicationscreening.org/

Your Pe r sonal App l ication Numbe r is ....

OK: Now I read it again: This right here: I sure hope my "backend" has nothing to do with the job; LOL: " After reviewing your resume and backend information we have decided to move forward with screen ing process." DANG I NEED A REAL JOB: why o why are their people trying to hurt me when I am already BROKE!!

It's absolutely ridiculous. I emailed them back...of course, no response. But it made me feel better. Hope you read my response, I posted it after I sent it. Good Luck in your search!!!

katie in Holden, Massachusetts said: I got this email response for a job posting on Craigslist. It appears that it is now using usajobscreening.org. Like an idiot excited just to receive a response, I sent them the info. I did, however, call the credit agencies and put a fraud alert on my information. Has anyone noticed any fradulent activity with their accounts, info, etc? Looking for a job is stressful enough, now this?!?
Message body

Dear Applicant,

Thank you your interest in this position.

I am a manager of the application screening company. Our organization is hired by small and large companies and businesses to find the qualified applicants in numerous areas.

Our client has forwarded us your recent email for this position. After reviewing your resume and backend information we have decided to move forward with qualification process. The client is looking for the right applicant for immediate hiring as the position is currently vacant. Please fill in our short application through the secure website as a next step before the live interview. This will take less than 5 minutes. Once you have submitted the form, our manager will contact you within 3-5 business days.

The secure online application is here:
usajobscreening.org/application

Personal Application #:

Please note that application number is valid for 24 hours.

Kind Regards,
Kim R.
Human Resources Manager
UsaJobScreening.Org

I got the same letter, right down to my "BACKEND" information looking good! Woot...sometimes its the suttle words that just are not right to let you know it is a SCAM! Happy job hunting, yea I was excited to start with too!! Sorry. GL from Bama

..........You seem very qualified for this position, and more so than the other 17 applicants we received resumes from. I would like to take it to the next step with you. So, just before I am able to schedule a formal meeting, my company will require that you obtain a recent (past 1-2 business days) credit report. We started this due to the fact our company had some bad incidents with a couple prior employees taking advantage of having access to a company credit card.

Both myself along with the provider prefer that you use this Credit Report to acquire your check as they are currently offering the check at zero cost to you (unlike other locations). We also discovered that their scores are constantly reported back with the most accurate data, but feel free to use any service you like.

Once you submit all of the required information, they will show you your personal report. Please print it out and save it for your records. Please do not email me the entire report, as it'll have private content. We can discuss it when we meet in person. When you have a lower than expected credit score, it'll never prevent you from a position with us. I actually had a fairly low score when I started working here.

Once your finished please e-mail me your phone number where you can be quickly reached, and your availability so that I can arrange an interview with you.

Personally, I am hoping to fill this position with a new friendly face and am very much looking forward to your quick response.

Sincerely,
Angelina White
Alpha Enterprises LLC - H.R. Dept.

This makes me so pissed off. I was SO excited that I finally got an email back from someone.. just to find out its a scam. As*holes.

Jess in Portland, Oregon said: Wow. I'm also looking for work and replied to an ad for an Administrative Assistant job. I sent it last night and got this reply less than 12 hours later, and was suspicious from the get-go since they'd "already" narrowed it down to 3 potential applicants, including me.

"I would like to take this moment to thank you for your response to our Craigslist job posting, as well as inform you that, after reading through your resume, we are interested in discussing this job opportunity with you in person. As of this moment, we have narrowed the field down to 3 potential candidates, yourself being one of them.

I would like to congratulate you in making it to the next step of our hiring process. As part of our company's policy, and to protect our company from liabilities and potential issues, the next step of the hiring process includes getting your credit score checked. Please be aware, that a poor score in no way disqualifies you from the position, but simply helps us to get a better understanding of you, and what we can expect from you as an employee.

So we have arranged a FREE service at www.creditreport.com for you to obtain your score. Once you have completed this process, please email me the confirmation # ASAP, so we can move forward. Do NOT include your SSN or any private information in any emails. Please perform this step as soon as you can, as we would like to fill the position soon. Once we receive confirmation that you have completed this step, myself or Mr. Levy, our office manager, will get back to you to set up the face to face interview.

Again, thank you for your interest, and I hope to hear from you soon.

---

Janey Klein, VP of Operations

Smiths Hardware Ltd.

www.smithshardwaretools.com"

THIS IS RIDICULOUS. Where can we report this??

--------------------------------------------

I got the SAME EXACT EMAIL - except it was from:
George Owen
Head Administrator
James Miles Recovery,

I filed a complaint to the Internet Crimes Complaint Center.

www.ic3.gov/default.aspx

Good luck. I hope they nab these jerks.

Madison in Roseville, Michigan said: Ugh, I can't believe this is a scam. I got the exact same message as Tracy, and it was signed "Angelina White, Alpha Enterprises LLC - H.R. Dept."

It's ridiculous that this sort of thing is out there. Does anyone know of a good job search website that isn't full of these scams? This is about the third response I've gotten like this...another one said that I needed to fill out the application before they called for an interview and it sent me to one of those "free offer" link loops.

Craigslist isn't the only one full of scammers. I got scammed on another legit job site; unfortunately I can't remember which one it was. Today I got an email (see above) from Angelina White at Alpha Enterprises and was wise enough this time not to fall for it. I too would like to know if anyone has had repercussions from getting their credit report done at creditreport.com. I called them and they refunded the $29.95, but I'm still worried about my SS# being given. I wonder if they (Creditreport.com) are in on the scam--they didn't seem at all concerned that some company was using their site for scamming.

Anyone had anything happen after giving out their SS#? I'm checking my bank and CC balances carefully, but so far nothing. The Social Security site says you can't get a new number just because you fear a potential scam. You have to have proof of identity theft. By then it's too late!

Just make sure you keep track of your credit scores. I believe Equifax, Transunion and Experian all offer a free look (not at the exact scores but at any alerts) once a year, so if you use a different site every 3 months, you should be able to monitor your credit continuously without much worry.

Best part? These organizations are Better Business Bureau approved!

Rob in Senatobia, Mississippi said: I applied for a parts job and got the same email as above except with a Michael F. . There should be something that can be done to catch these people. The Law should trace thier IP address can catch them.

the ip address attached to my email was 199.168.186.158 it led to the American Registry for Internet Numbers

I to received an email very similar to those listed above this morning in response to a job I applied for. This is the 2nd email this week that I've received with the same scam. 'Thank you for your reply. We're interested. Complete this credit report and will interview you." Such a waste of time. I really wish these people would stop with all the scams. I'm spending hours creating cover letters, emails, adjusting my resume only to receive these types of replies. SO FRUSTRATING!!

Dear Ap plicant,

Thank you f o r your interest.

I am a hu man r esou rces man ager of the job applicat ion screening co mpany. Our organization is helping c omp ani es an d busine sses to find quali fied appli cants in different a reas.

Our cli ent has forwa r ded u s your recent i nquiry about a vac a nt positio n. After reviewing you r r e sume and ba c k end information we have decided t o mov e f o rward with s c re ening process. Thi s pos i tion is o pen for imme diate hi ring, and t he clien t is look i ng for the r igh t applicant as soon as possible.

Please fill in o ur short a p pli c a tion form throu gh the secure website as a next s tep befor e l i v e interv iew. This will t ake less than 5 minutes. After co mpl etion I w ill get back t o yo u wit h in 3-5 busi ness days.

You can fin d an online ap plica ti o n he re:
applicationscreening.org/

Your Personal Appl ic ation Number is...
Please note that appl ication num ber i s v alid for 24 h ours.

Kindest Rega rds,
Linda J.
Human Reso urces Manag er

This is a scam I got in my email for a job position on Craigslist.com. Never provide that kind of info if you dont know who its going to. The crazy part is I didnt even know what company this was for so that was scary. Beware of fakes and I will put a spam out on the craigslist site for other job hunters to know that this is a fake. There has to be a way to get these people caught and charged. Either by tracking there IP address or tracking them down by email. If anyone know of a way let me know so we can all work together to get these people sent to jail. I hope this post was helpful to anyone.

Thanks!

Thank you so much for your interest in our job opening.
I appreciate that you contacted us. In case our placement was not clear, a few of the responsibilities of this position are as follows:
: You will be answering phone calls and taking messages when applicable
: You will be scheduling the company meetings and appointments
: Run errands for the organization, for example to purchase supplies and make bank deposits.
: You will be provided with a company vehicle.
: While you are running errands, you'll also be given one of our credit card(s) for all company purchases.
You seem very qualified for this position, and more so than the other 17 applicants we received resumes from. I would like to take it to the next step with you. So, just before I am able to schedule a formal meeting, my company will require that you obtain a recent (past 1-2 business days) credit report. We started this due to the fact our company had some bad incidents with a couple prior employees taking advantage of having access to a company credit card.
Both myself along with the provider prefer that you use this Credit Report to acquire your check as they are currently offering the check at zero cost to you (unlike other locations). We also discovered that their scores are constantly reported back with the most accurate data, but feel free to use any service you like.
Once you submit all of the required information, they will show you your personal report. Please print it out and save it for your records. Please do not email me the entire report, as it'll have private content. We can discuss it when we meet in person. When you have a lower than expected credit score, it'll never prevent you from a position with us. I actually had a fairly low score when I started working here.
Once your finished please e-mail me your phone number where you can be quickly reached, and your availability so that I can arrange an interview with you.
Personally, I am hoping to fill this position with

Alpha Enterprises LLC - H.R. Dept.

I got the same one in Portland OR. Same letter. Same person. I filled out the creditreport with all my info. I got suspicious and googled...now I'm sick to find this out. I called the creditreport and canceled the service. They seemed legit. Called my bank too. My credit card is really a debit card. Anyone else have trouble? Who do we report this to?

Duped in Portland, Oregon said: Alpha Enterprises LLC - H.R. Dept.

I got the same one in Portland OR. Same letter. Same person. I filled out the creditreport with all my info. I got suspicious and googled...now I'm sick to find this out. I called the creditreport and canceled the service. They seemed legit. Called my bank too. My credit card is really a debit card. Anyone else have trouble? Who do we report this to?

I filed a complaint to the Internet Crimes Complaint Center.

www.ic3.gov/default.aspx

Good luck. I hope they nab these jerks.

Jess in Portland, Oregon said: Wow. I'm also looking for work and replied to an ad for an Administrative Assistant job. I sent it last night and got this reply less than 12 hours later, and was suspicious from the get-go since they'd "already" narrowed it down to 3 potential applicants, including me.

"I would like to take this moment to thank you for your response to our Craigslist job posting, as well as inform you that, after reading through your resume, we are interested in discussing this job opportunity with you in person. As of this moment, we have narrowed the field down to 3 potential candidates, yourself being one of them.

I would like to congratulate you in making it to the next step of our hiring process. As part of our company's policy, and to protect our company from liabilities and potential issues, the next step of the hiring process includes getting your credit score checked. Please be aware, that a poor score in no way disqualifies you from the position, but simply helps us to get a better understanding of you, and what we can expect from you as an employee.

So we have arranged a FREE service at www.creditreport.com for you to obtain your score. Once you have completed this process, please email me the confirmation # ASAP, so we can move forward. Do NOT include your SSN or any private information in any emails. Please perform this step as soon as you can, as we would like to fill the position soon. Once we receive confirmation that you have completed this step, myself or Mr. Levy, our office manager, will get back to you to set up the face to face interview.

Again, thank you for your interest, and I hope to hear from you soon.

---

Janey Klein, VP of Operations

Smiths Hardware Ltd.

www.smithshardwaretools.com"

THIS IS RIDICULOUS. Where can we report this??

put it on flakelist.org!

Yup, same kind of thing for me. Tricky guys posted a craigslist add for a local company I'm very familiar with that seemed totally legit when I applied for it. As soon as I read about the credit report they wanted me to do I thought something was amiss. So I sent them this

"Hello, I'm just curious; for what job is this? Forgive me for being a little incredulous, but before I go filling out a credit report I'd like to know for what company you work, exactly what position I applied for (sorry, been applying to a lot of jobs lately), and a copy of the original job posting please. Thanks very much"

They then linked me back to the original posting and elaborated a bit on what the job would entail. However, the info they were giving me on the job in the newest email was in conflict with what the job posting said. So I looked around and easily found this thread (thanks everyone who posted before me). I also sent an email to the local company letting them know someone was using their name trying to scam people.

I got an email about a job I applied for in craigslist. When asked to complete the credit report, I stopped and did some digging on google. I so thankful I found this site and did not fall into their scam. I want to give my thanks to everyone for posting their experiences. It really helped me and I hope this will help the next person.

I too, nearly got suckered into this. I stopped at the third step and did not complete it.

However, I do have a resource. Stupidly, I believe, this scamming company used a legitimate company to get people into their scam. I am going to call the legitimate company tomorrow to see if this is legitimate. I'm 99.999999% sure it is not.

There has been a LOT of jobs, many with similar wording in it.
Unfortunately, craigslist bears a lot of responsibility for this. I believe they should get more information from companies, but of course they want whatever money comes from these fraudulent ads.

Personally, I'd rather get a Nigerian scam email At least those are interesting.

I will let everyone know what I find out tomorrow.

Beware of applicationscreening.org!!!!!!!!

Wow! They haven't stopped! Just got an email from them also and I googled the company and found this site! I also replied to their email saying that I wasn't going to follow through with the credit check until I received a phone call reassuring me that it was not a scam. THANK THIS FORUM FOR PREVENTING MANY PEOPLE FROM BEING SCAMMED!!

Hey all - I called the legitimate company's local contact - asked if they had any positions open. They told me no. I explained the situation and I received a phone number for corporate HQ HR, which I called. Today, I received a phone call from Corporate HQ. I emailed them the ad (still on craigslist), my email from scammer, and the source code from scamming email. I also sent a link to this forum so they can see if there's any other affiliations, as some of the wording which has been mentioned in this forum is identical to what I've received. Only the company name is different.

Job sites and dating sites are both full of scams. They know you're desperate and will bite. It's sad but true.

I wouldn't bother responding to an ad that asked for references or salary history up front in a cover letter. Credit report up front before ever stepping foot into an office or having an interview? Utterly insane and an obvious scam.

I've gotten a few scam e-mails before, but this one was a bit tricky. Glad to see other's have posted about it. Whistle. Blown.

Hello Jayne,

Thank you so much for your interest in our job opening.

I appreciate that you contacted us. In case our placement was not clear, a few of the responsibilities of this position are as follows:

: You will be answering phone calls and taking messages when applicable
: You will be scheduling the company meetings and appointments
: Run errands for the organization, for example to purchase supplies and make bank deposits.
: You will be provided with a company vehicle.
: While you are running errands, you'll also be given one of our credit card(s) for all company purchases.
You seem very qualified for this position, and more so than the other 17 applicants we received resumes from. I would like to take it to the next step with you. So, just before I am able to schedule a formal meeting, my company will require that you obtain a recent (past 1-2 business days) credit report. We started this due to the fact our company had some bad incidents with a couple prior employees taking advantage of having access to a company credit card.

Both myself along with the provider prefer that you use this Credit Report to acquire your check as they are currently offering the check at zero cost to you (unlike other locations). We also discovered that their scores are constantly reported back with the most accurate data, but feel free to use any service you like.

Once you submit all of the required information, they will show you your personal report. Please print it out and save it for your records. Please do not email me the entire report, as it'll have private content. We can discuss it when we meet in person. When you have a lower than expected credit score, it'll never prevent you from a position with us. I actually had a fairly low score when I started working here.

i am with you guys. i received the same email reply from them too. after doing alot of research my husband got to know that it is a scam.

Be careful about automated responses even if they are not asking for your credit information. Do not click on any links before you have checked the email you sent to them and re-read the craigslist add. Here is an email I recieved below from sending my application through craigslist and my response to that email:

Dear Applicant,
Thank you for your interest.
I am a human resources manager of the job application screening company. Our organization is helping companies and businesses to find qualified applicants in different areas.
Our client has forwarded us your recent inquiry about a vacant position. After reviewing your resume and backend information we have decided to move forward with screening process. This position is open for immediate hiring, and the client is looking for the right applicant as soon as possible.
Please fill in our short application form through the secure web site as a next step before live interview. This will take less than 5 minutes. After completion I will get back to you within 3-5 business days.
You can find an online application here:
jobapplicationscreening.org/

Your Personal Application Number is ******
Please note that application number is valid for 24 hours.

Kinde st Regards,
Susan T.
Human Resources Manager

Susan T.,

I want to thank you for the interest in my application. Since I have begun applying for positions on Craigslist I have noticed the many scams that are out there. I am uncomfortable clicking on any link sent to me via email and entering any type of personal information. Also, I have noticed my application was sent to Select Staffing and you are not a representative from that company. Working for a recruiting firm myself, I know that a phone conversation is necessary to move forward with the application process considering you already have my resume. If you would like to call me to continue the application process I would be more than happy to oblidge, but as I mentionened, I am..

this is how my email read.......just moments ago

Dea r App li cant,

Than k you for your i nte r est.

I am a human resources mana ger of the j ob application sc re ening company. Ou r orga nizatio n is hel ping compa nie s and businesses to find qua l ified applicants in dif f ere nt a r eas.

Our cl ient has f orwa rded us your recent inq uir y abo ut a va c a nt pos ition. Afte r re vi ewin g your resume a nd ba c kend information we have dec ided to mo ve f orward w ith scree ni ng pr ocess. This position is open for i mme diate hiri ng, and the clien t is lookin g for th e ri ght applic ant as soo n a s pos si ble.

Plea se fil l in o u r sh o rt app l ic ation form th rough the secur e website as a ne xt step before live i nterview. This will t a ke less than 5 minutes. After co mple t io n I w ill ge t ba c k to yo u w i thin 3-5 business days.

You can find an online applic ation here:
jobapplicationscreening.org/

Your Pers on al Applicati on Numbe r is ***********

Pleas e no t e th at ap p lication number is valid for 24 hours.

Kindest Rega rds,
Ann S.
Hu man Re sou rces Manager

AND THIS IS WHAT I WAS ABLE TO REPLY WITH...... THANK TO ALL OF YOU. i HAD A SUSPECION WHEN I WAS AT THE CREDIT PAGE SO I GOOGLED, FUNNY THING IS THAT BING SHOWED ALL GOOD THINGS....... ONE MORE REASON WHY I LIKE GOOGLE.

Ann,
I would like to thank you for the opportunity to futher my chance at this position. I have googled your company and found that this site is stated to be a scam. I will not be completing my application. I would love to have a face to face interview, but will not filling out any information and getting a credit check online by a company that is not credited.
Thank you-
Brandy T.

Oh maaan... I so hate being right. Have been getting this crap, with all these "super special personal password/identity code/number hurry only 24 hours" things way too many times. I mean JEEZ, shouldn't I be getting a Decoder Ring with it!?

Had some doubts... was I being overly paranoid? Is this really the way employers do stuff now? SO glad I went looking, while it still bites the big one, it's reassuring to see I'm not alone in this leaky boat.

Good luck to all of us on the job hunt, and thanks to everyone who posts here trying to keep others safe.

Same here but I gave them a nice professional reply (not that it will do any good):

Subject: Re: Receptionist Position

I would like to take this moment to thank you for your response to our Craigslist job posting, as well as inform you that, after reading through your resume, we are interested in discussing this job opportunity with you in person. As of this moment, we have narrowed the field down to 3 potential candidates, yourself being one of them.

I would like to congratulate you in making it to the next step of our hiring process. As part of our company's policy, and to protect our company from liabilities and potential issues, the next step of the hiring process includes getting your credit score checked. Please be aware, that a poor score in no way disqualifies you from the position, but simply helps us to get a better understanding of you, and what we can expect from you as an employee.

So we have arranged a FREE service at www.creditreport.com for you to obtain your score. Once you have completed this process, please email me the confirmation # ASAP, so we can move forward. Do NOT include your SSN or any private information in any emails. Please perform this step as soon as you can, as we would like to fill the position soon. Once we receive confirmation that you have completed this step, myself or Mr. Levy, our office manager, will get back to you to set up the face to face interview.

Again, thank you for your interest, and I hope to hear from you soon.

Katie Fernandez
Hiring Manager
Cornwall Investments Inc.
www.cornwallinvestments.net

(This is what I sent back to "Katie"):

I don't think so. This same email has been reported as a scam all over the net. You should be completely ashamed of yourself for taking advantage of innocent, hardworking people who are desperate to find work. I hope karma gets you back 10 fold.