Crime & Safety
Police: Watch Out for Job Scams on Craigslist
A Port Chester woman thought she had a new gig as a nanny, but was conned out of thousands instead. Police hope they can get the word out and prevent other people from getting ripped off.
A Port Chester woman thought she'd finally scored a job despite the rough economy, only later realizing she'd been conned out of $2,600 instead.
Port Chester police provided the details Thursday, saying they want the public to know about a modern twist on an old-time scam, designed to take advantage of people desperate for work in a bad economy.
The 32-year-old victim told police she was searching Craigslist about three weeks ago when she applied for a nanny position listed on the site's job pages. A man who called himself Morgan Gaddilon replied via e-mail: There were open nanny positions in the New York area, he wrote. All the victim needed to do was send over some personal information.
A few days later, the scammer contacted the victim by phone, Lt. James Ladeairous said. The job was in Long Island, the scammer said, and the company would issue a $2,966 advance check for the victim to prep and move to Long Beach.
There was, of course, a catch: On Oct. 13, "Gaddilon" called back and told the victim to send a $2,600 check to an address in Caddy, TX, "to pay the work agent who represented her," according to the police report. The victim complied, but on Oct. 19, "Gaddilon" rang back and said he'd need an additional $2,000 check for a "security deposit."
That's when the victim realized the job didn't exist and she'd been conned. She tried reaching "Gaddilon" and went to police when she couldn't get back in touch with the scammer.
Scams like this are particularly dangerous in a rough economy, when a response from an employer can make a victim disregard warning signs. That's why police want the public to know about them, and to be cautious before hitting the "reply" button or taking extraordinary steps like sending cash.
Anyone who's doubtful about the legitimacy of a post or an e-mail can call the Port Chester Police Department at 914-939-1000. Better to be safe than sorry, Ladeairous said.
"If it seems too good to be true, it probably is," he said. "If you have any suspicions, call us."
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