Augusta, Maine - Attorney General Janet T. Mills and Commissioner of Labor Jeanne Paquette are warning job seekers about a scam that aims to steal money via pre-paid debit cards. A person claiming to be hiring laborers has been telling candidates that they need to purchase a $60 "Green Dot" pre-paid debit card from Wal-mart before their first day of work.
The person calling the job seekers claims to be working for "Wipe-Out Windows and Construction" from Charleston, S.C., and says his name is Craig Thompson. This appears to be a made-up name, and a similar scam has been targeting people in other states using the name Brandon Williams.
The scammer, through false postings on the Maine Job Bank that use a legitimate Florida business' name, is advertising for workers. When job seekers accept the referral from the job bank, the scammer contacts the worker, tells them they are hired and then tells them to purchase the debit card and that he will meet the workers at the local CareerCenter.
The scammer explains to the job seeker that the money on the card is to cover the expense of a uniform and training, which is a clear violation of both state and federal employment law. Once the worker has the card and contacts the scammer, the scammer asks the job seeker to read the card number over the phone. The scammer does not show up to the prearranged meetings at the CareerCenter, and the job seekers then find
