Barbara Smith wanted some babysitting work, so she went to a popular website, Care.com, and posted her profile. Two days later came some great news. "I got two texts on different days, saying 'oh we loved your profile so very very much,'" Smith said.
One stood out: it was from a mom, moving to the U.S. with a little girl, offering $500 a week.
"She was from Australia," Smith said, charmed by the idea of sitting a little Australian girl. "And I believed her!"
And even before she could meet the mom and daughter, Smith's first paycheck arrived, for $3,000.
"It was for my your first week wages," Smith said. "And then the rest of the money, she wanted me to give it to her housing agent."
A housing agent?
Smith got suspicious. "None of this added up," she said.
And good thing. It was the classic phony check scam, now targeting babysitters.
As is the case with so many fake check scams, the person who wants to hire you is not in town. They say they are planning to come to the city, but they are not here yet. So there is no way to meet them.
The goal is for you to deposit the check into the bank, then send them back your own money. Their big check (typically 2,000 - $5,000) bounces within a week.
Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine says his office has received more than a dozen complaints this summer about the babysitter scam.
"Your checks are good, the scammer gets your check," DeWine said. "The scammer's check is no good, and you're out the money."
Care.com has a whole section of its website listing the warning signs of a nanny scam.
Barbara, luckily, did not deposit the bad check. Nor did she send her own money back to the scammer. But many younger nannies and babysitters, not familiar with how this con works, are doing this.
It's good information to know about. That way you don't waste your money.
