Advertising scam makes it into the BannerGraphic
Anyone who answered a classified advertisement that appeared in
Tuesday's Brazil Times and BannerGraphic should take note the
advertisement was confirmed to be a scam Wednesday.
On Wednesday, Brazil Family Medicine Office Manager Carol Lutes
informed The Brazil Times the ad was not accurate at all.
The classified stated people were needed as medical billers for "high
activity practice. Computer skills and attention to detail a must."
The ad offered $12- to $13 per hour "depending on experience."
It continued by giving the number for Brazil Family Medicine and a
toll free phone number.
Upon calling the toll free number, an automated voice mail detailed
the work involved, asking for $189 in order to receive a package,
which would tell the prospective employee what they would be doing.
The order would also include software for someone to work from home
and bill for the medical office.
The voice mail then asked the person to leave their name, telephone
number and a "good time to reach you."
"We're getting all kinds of calls from people wanting to apply for a
job that doesn't exist," Lutes told The Brazil Times.
Brazil Times' General Manager Lynne Llewellyn said the person who
called in the advertisement said they were a representative from
Brazil Family Medicine.
"We didn't have any reason to question it," Llewellyn said. "We took
it for granted, but we're going to do a better job of checking
information and confirming (the advertiser)."
The advertisement has since been pulled from both newspapers and
Llewellyn said Hoosier State Press Association will be notified
regarding the incident in order to warn other newspapers.