DOL: Impersonator uses state job bank for fraud
State officials said a person advertising for laborers on the Maine Job Bank and through websites in other states has been bilking funds through a scam targeting job seekers.
Department of Labor Commissioner Jeanne Paquette and Attorney General Janet Mills said in a press release that they are warning job seekers about the scam. The scammer, they said, has sought workers by posing as a North Carolina-based firm called “Wipe-Out Windows and Construction” under the name Craig Thompson. Applicants are asked to buy a $60 pre-paid debit card at Walmart before their first day of work, which the scammer says will cover the cost of a uniform and training. Asking for payment as a condition of employment is illegal, Mills said.
The scammer then calls the prospective employee to set up a meeting time at a local Career Center and asks for the number of the prepaid card. The scammer does not show up for the scheduled meetings and the debit card accounts are wiped out.
Paquette said the scam is a rare case of someone impersonating a legitimate business to get listings onto the Maine Job Bank, which vets its employer listings before posting them. Paquette has warned job seekers to avoid any employment opportunity that asks for payment and be wary of employers who do not request an in-person interview.
The state officials said similar scams have been reported in other states by a person using the name Brandon Williams.
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