Description

I applied for a job on LinkedIn for an at Remote Data Entry Clerk for company Cohagen Transfer.  Sent my application and information in, I even looked up the website for the company and it is an actual company. I'm new to applying to jobs online, but the website was at first legitimate. On February 6th at 6:40pm I received an email from Rod, VP Human Resources of Cohagen Transfer & Storage Co., Inc. It asked me to test a Christopher Stewart at 840-205-9795 an interview cod (COH-A#24) to schedule an interview. I then messaged him and he replied that we had to do the interview over text because he had so many applicants. He then said he send me a link for my information to submit for the email so he could go over it, link (https://surveyheart.com/form/6594848b25dc67085081c2f2). The application asked for my name and last name, SSN, address and picture of my Colorado Driver license. It felt really off, so I changed the last digit to my ssn number, thinking if it comes up wrong later in application process, I could say I just messed up. He asked if I submitted it and I conformed. But then he messaged me saying that I already have an ID.me account, and he is unable to make another one for me, so he will need the password to the existing account. That's where I was confused on why would they need access to my ID.me account. I started searching online to see if this was normal and people say it's a new form of Identity theft. So I messaged him that I couldn't give him my password and I didn't want my identity to be stolen, and that I had already given him my SSN and my Driver's license, should be enough to identify me. He said that his company isn't stealing my information and then provided me the wrong website for the company I had originally applied for, (http://richervalues.com). I pointed out that this was not the job site on LINKEDIN I had applied for, and then he sent me the next website, (http://cohagens.com). That's when I realized I had been scammed. He had given me the first website that wasn't secure and wasn't the site I had applied for. Plus, the second site was also not a secure website. I still refused to give over my ID.me account information. He has stopped speaking to me. Sadly, they do have pictures of my Colorado Driver License and most digits to my SSN. I've called the company that this scammer is claiming to be a representative of, and they informed me it was a scammer. This was the email, " batteryman cohagens.com <[email protected]> Tue, Feb 6, 6:40?PM (3 days ago) to me Congratulations, Cohagen Transfer & Storage Co., Inc. online recruitment team has recommended you for a virtual screening test/interview online. We successfully reviewed your resume and it has been approved for a virtual screening test/interview by Cohagen Transfer for the position of ( Data Entry Clerk - REMOTE ). The windows for this screening test/interview are: Monday through Saturday Time: 08:00 AM – 6:15 PM. Text Christopher Stewart on (840) 205-9795 with interview code ( COH-A#24 ) to schedule your interview. Regards, Rod,VP Human Resources Cohagen Transfer." I did not reply to the email, I replied through the text with my code. That's where they used mainly websites and texting to further the scam. Big note the test messages are very well written, I'm used to scammers misspelling and being a little more off. I've seen many scammer emails and this one really got me.