In recent years, internet scammers have been preying on potential nannies in New York City and Los Angeles, conning them out of thousands of dollars. In your search for the perfect job, make sure that you do everything to educate and protect yourself from unscrupulous "nanny scammers."
The Better Business Bureau says that current nanny scams are made up of the following elements:
- The fake employer will post a position on a website or online forum and wait for responses.
- After brief email correspondence with a potential nanny, the scammer, who claims that he is out of town at the moment, will hire her without an interview.
- The scammer will send a fraudulent check or money order greater than the amount agreed to to the unknowing nanny, who will then deposit it into her bank account.
- Realizing his mistake, the fake employer will ask the nanny to send the excess funds to him via a wire transfer.
- The nanny's bank will realize by this time that a fake check was deposited in the account and will demand that all funds withdrawn be returned.
If you are unsure or suspicious that you are getting scammed, consider the following:
- Is the employer only communicating through email and text messages? If so, he or she is probably hiding something.
- Were you offered a job without an interview? Any responsible parent would not allow someone to take care of a child without having met them first.
- Were you sent money up-front? A normal employer is not going to pay you for work that you have not yet done.
Nannies who are looking for employment should consider conducting their search through a reputable domestic staffing service like Colonial Domestic Agency. We specialize in matching experienced candidates with top employers.