A Colorado woman is out $1000 after falling for a fake cannabis employment scam.

Employment scams are big business and may unsuspecting and desperate job-seekers are falling victim.  The Federal Trade Commission says in recent years says these phony job scams have cost Americans hundreds of millions of dollars over the past few years.

Colorado Woman Scammed By Fake Cannabis Job Offer

Here is a recent example of how these scams work. A Colorado woman thought she was getting a good, high-paying work-from-home job in the cannabis industry - but in the end not only did she not have a job, but she also lost $1000.

According to a report from KDVR, Sonya Perez was promised a $30 an hour job, including $17 an hour for training. But in the process, she was asked to send them $1,000. The phony company offered to back up the request by sending a $2500 check to the woman's bank account. She sent them the $1000, but the $2500 check never cleared the bank.

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Fake Employment Scams Are Big Business

The FTC says about one out of three income scams is about phony job offers with a fake check as part of the scheme. People will see the money in their account which gives them a false sense of assurance. However, ultimately when the check bounces, the victim will have to repay the bank for the fraudulent funds.

Another common employment tactic is false claims about how much income you'll make starting your own business. Scammers will promise big incomes with testimonials of lavish lifestyles and "proven systems", but in reality, they don't really work, and the job-seekers lose thousands of dollars. The FTC says the median loss for work-at-home-opportunity scams is around $3,000.

Too Good To Be True

The old adage remains true to this day. If something seems too good to be true - chances are it is. But, people who are desperate to make ends meet and pay their bills end up falling for these employment scams. Too many people, like this woman from Colorado, are learning that lesson the hard way.

Mesa County Sheriff's Office Says Watch Out For These Scams

There are currently 7 different scams that the Mesa County Sheriff's Office wants you to watch out for.

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