NORFOLK, Va. — There's a scam circulating aimed at job seekers that Sentara Healthcare is warning people about.
Scammers will post fake positions under various company names including Sentara.
When people apply, the scammers will ask for checking account information through email and text and claim that the info is needed to purchase "training materials."
Sentara spokesperson Dale Gauding says four people notified the company in one day about this scam.
A Better Business Bureau report released earlier this year ranked employment scams as the riskiest type of scam in 2018 and 2019, and there have been more claims since the pandemic began. More than half (53 percent) of people targeted said they were unemployed at the time of the scam.
The report also said military spouses and veterans were more likely to fall victim and lose more money to employment scams than people who are not in the military.
"People are anxious and a little more vulnerable," said career coach Francina Harrison. "That's when these predators show up and really zone in on the most vulnerable."
Harrison recommends people check the spelling on job posts, look for suspicious emails, never release your personal banking information, and always check the company's website.
"Trust your gut," she said. "If you think it isn't right, it probably isn't."
If you're looking for a job with Sentara, apply through their Careers page here.
Also, follow the steps below:
- Before you click on a job board link, search for errors in spelling or grammar that look unprofessional.
- Beware of pay and benefits claims that look too good to be true.
- Sentara recruiters will never ask applicants for their personal banking information.
- Be sure the e-mails you receive about the job are from a Sentara email address which is @sentara.com.
- Job offers are made verbally by Sentara recruiters, not by email or text