Yet another job posting scam to get you to sign up for a free cruise gift card, etc. The offer is completely separate from any hiring agency, and is one of those performance-based gifts where you have to sign up with their partners in order to receive your “gift” at all. The company on the gift sign-up page is YourHotGiftZone Gift Program.
For future reference to my fellow job seekers, I replied to an ad for “Administrative Assistant” on craigslist. This is the email I received:
Thank you for taking the time to reply to our
job posting here at Avex Data.Our company develops market research for national
travel and lodging companies. They depend upon
our online data collection methods so they
can develop better marketing campaigns.Because this job position requires excellent data
entry skills, we ask that you take our data entry
test. After you complete the test, you will have
an opportunity to submit your resume.You will access one of our websites whch has
been customized for this test. This test should
take you less than 2 minutes to complete and is
3 pages long.You will be tested on your ability to follow
directions and your accuracy rate. Therefore, it
is crucial that you enter all of your personal
information correctly on pages 1 through 3 as it
will be matched with your resume information.Also, be sure to answer every question, even those
that seem survey or opinion oriented. You may answer
those questions however you choose, but if you skip
any of them or do not complete the test then your
resume will be automatically rejected.Once you complete the test, you will be able to
upload your resume.Begin by accessing your test here:
[url removed]
Once you finish the test, upload your resume here:
[url removed]
IMPORTANT – Remember to complete your test BEFORE
uploading your resume otherwise your application
cannot be processed.After you submit your resume, we will contact you
with your test results and your application status.Again, thank you for showing a sincere interest in
our position.Jennifer Egan
HR Director
Avex Data
Do not be fooled by URLs which look like credible businesses. For example, the links removed above appeared to be pages at avexdata.com, but they actually create a frame to display the gift sign-up page from a different web site entirely. Job seekers who are not web savvy might not be able to tell the difference, so here’s another test: visit that URL’s homepage (delete everything after the .com) and see what it says. In this case, the homepage is completely blank.
4 responses so far ↓
1 Tony Stein // Mar 26, 2009 at 10:38 am
I received the same e-mail today after submitting a resume to the ad for Admin Assistant yesterday. I was leary that there was no contact information given for Jennifer Egan. I checked the internet for the company Avexdata and it doesn’t exist. There is no phone number or address and they want me to click on a url to take a data entry test. I did not click the url as my computer was recently infected with a virus from doing this. Be aware and check things 0ut completely before click on something or answering any questions you receive from a job posting. Don’t these people realize that most of the people applying for these jobs are unemployed and have credit issues due to the awful state of the economy? What would they gain by stealing your identity or trying to sell you something when it’s obvious you have little or no income, that’s why most people are looking at these jobs. People who already have jobs aren’t looking because they don’t want to leave a secure job right now.
Here is the exact same thing that I received from the non-existant Avexdata company.
Thank you for taking the time to reply to our
job posting here at Avex Data.
Our company develops market research for national
travel and lodging companies. They depend upon
our online data collection methods so they
can develop better marketing campaigns.
Because this job position requires excellent data
entry skills, we ask that you take our data entry
test. After you complete the test, you will have
an opportunity to submit your resume.
You will access one of our websites whch has
been customized for this test. This test should
take you less than 2 minutes to complete and is
3 pages long.
You will be tested on your ability to follow
directions and your accuracy rate. Therefore, it
is crucial that you enter all of your personal
information correctly on pages 1 through 3 as it
will be matched with your resume information.
Also, be sure to answer every question, even those
that seem survey or opinion oriented. You may answer
those questions however you choose, but if you skip
any of them or do not complete the test then your
resume will be automatically rejected.
Once you complete the test, you will be able to
upload your resume.
Begin by accessing your test here:
[url removed]
Once you finish the test, upload your resume here:
[url removed]
IMPORTANT – Remember to complete your test BEFORE
uploading your resume otherwise your application
cannot be processed.
After you submit your resume, we will contact you
with your test results and your application status.
Again, thank you for showing a sincere interest in
our position.
Jennifer Egan
HR Director
Avex Data
Thanks Ms. Egan, but I believe I’ll look for employment elsewhere.
2 Chris // Apr 9, 2009 at 10:09 am
The problem is that the job market is in such bad shape that people like us are actually seeking these jobs out. My credit is good, and I graduated less than a year ago from the University of Cincinnati and I happened to get this same email. I was enraged! Others might get caught up in this scam, and that’s what scares me. It really tests my faith in humanity.
3 Rachelynn // Apr 9, 2009 at 10:17 am
I am so glad I came across this article! I received the same e-mail at approximately 3 or 4 am lol I have my internet on my phone 24/7…It’s ridiculous! I was actually just trying to find out which company it was I applied for so I tried going back to Craigslist to find the ad and couldn’t find it. So I tried searching “avex craigslist” online, and I’m glad I came across this page…Thanks guys!
4 Patricia // Apr 12, 2009 at 11:05 pm
From now on check out any job that is on display, it’s sad but true, you can’t trust anything anymore. I received the same email after clicking on this job site. I DID NOT take anyone’s survey or test, because it immediately sounded suspicious. I also went to click on these urls and when nothing happened I googled the co. and as we now know……Nothing. Let google be your friend, if the company is legitimate, we will know. If we are searching for jobs, why are people so cruel, yes it test our faith in humanity and peoples sense of right and wrong.