LIFTOFF INC C/O NATHAN JAMES

Victim Location 07042

Total money lost $3,500

Type of a scam Employment

I have been an active job seeker for about 1 year and decided to try a virtual position. I was contacted by a woman named Melissa who was in receipt of my resume who said that I had the all of the qualification necessary and she would like to submit my resume to her recruiter. She asked me to be prepared for a video conference interview the next morning. The video conference turned into a text exchange as she was unable to get video working properly – she basically interviewed me for an position asking me all of the typical interview questions, i was not suspicious because I was looking for a while and the line of questioning was typical.

The following morning she sent a note letting me know to expect an email from her HR department. that email included an offer letter which included starting salary and standard confidentiality clauses on company letterhead. I then went to the companies website and they are hiring for a variety of positions. Logo’s and letterhead matched so that disarmed me a bit more. I was to start a training program that consisted of two hours of testing/training each morning for 6 days (marketing, sales, advertising et al) with Nathan James, my training supervisor. I was asked to complete the assignments in the 2hr time frame and I would be graded on my knowledge and that others were in competition for the position so the HR department was keeping score.

I was never asked for banking information or account numbers. Nathan encouraged me and told me I was doing well and that he would fed ex me a check (3650.00) to deposit into my account for the purchase of computer equipment for the job. Once the check was in the account, i was asked to withdraw most of it and deposit into his vendors account (Josnita Logistics at Wells Fargo Bank account # 2673039422). They were supposedly the facilitators of my computer equipment for my home office which would be delivered on 12/14 but the check bounced 3 days later and my account was overdrawn by 3500.00.They ask you to do with with haste so that by the time you find out the check is no good, you’ve already withdrawn the money.

My bank is still trying to recover the money from the out of state bank who is unresponsive. I am now responsible for a 3500.00 overdraft and of course Nathan James in no where to be found, not available for text or call. I would have probably not ever mentioned this and chalked it up to a lesson learned but I am extremely frustrated and angry with the way information is exchanged and how privacy is abused by scammers. I also hate the idea of having to pay back what i did not steal!