A Michigan man is speaking out after falling victim to an employment scam.
"I'm heartbroken, I feel taken advantage of. I lost a lot of money through it," he said.
The victim, who asked to remain anonymous to protect his ongoing job search, had been looking for employment since March when he received what appeared to be a promising opportunity.
"I saw an email come through saying my resume was being considered for such a position, I'm like oh, OK," he said.
What seemed like a legitimate job offer from Pinhero Construction, a California-based company, quickly turned into a costly scam.
After receiving an email from pinherocareers.com confirming he got the job, the scammers instructed him to deposit a check via mobile app and wire $5,000 to what they called an "accredited vendor" to purchase office equipment for remote work.
"... which would be my laptop, screens, headphones... because it would be all remote work," the victim explained.
Troy Police Sgt. John Julian explained how these scams typically work.
"The funds may be in there, but the check hasn't cleared totally, which is not going to happen for a few weeks. At that time, you send the money back, and now you're out of your own personal funds," Julian said.
Troy Police Sgt. John Julian provides safety tips to avoid being scammed below:
After the initial $5,000 transfer, the scammers pushed for an additional $1,500 via Zelle or Apple Pay, promising reimbursement.
"I had to borrow money to get that much money together, and they didn't want it as a wire transfer because they wanted it immediately that day," the victim said.
He ended up losing $6,500.
The real Pinhero Construction has placed a warning on their website about these scams. When contacted, the company immediately responded with an automated email stating:
"Pinhero Construction is not affiliated with 'pineherocareers.com' in any way...these offers are fraudulent." They clarified that their legitimate hiring process includes in-person interviews.
"I was doing whatever I could to be able to get a job. I needed some kind of income coming in and it felt like a lifeline. The life raft was made of lead, and it pulled me down," the victim said.
Julian reports that scams occur frequently in Troy, averaging one to two incidents weekly. He advises residents to exercise caution.
"They create a sense of urgency and confusion and hope that will prey on your vulnerability. And if that ever happens, slow down, verify independently, call the Troy Police Department, talk to a close friend or neighbor and run this by them to make sure this information is legitimate," Julian said.
This article was written by Jolie Sherman for the Scripps News Group in Detroit.
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