[US] Immigrant hit by a Fake Check Scam

Hi! I’m an immigrant and thus, was desperate for work and do not know how scams operate here. I got a text saying I have to download the Signal app and had an interview there and instantly I was hired on Monday. I was so glad and shared it to my family and my relatives who live here for a long time and asked for an advice, in which it is probably not a scam. I was sent a check earlier and out of excitement, sent them my forms with my SSN.

Now, after depositing and researching more about the remote job scams, I realized that I was hit by one, and immediately called my bank to cancel the check deposit and let them verify it, and as well getting Lifelock (and stupidly got the unneeded antivirus).

For those who are still new here in the US looking for jobs, be vigilant in your job hunting; do not ever sacrifice your common and gut sense in exchange for potential job. Use the [whois] domain checker to check if it is a newly created account, and if things don’t add up, then things do not add up, such as:

• strict text interview through Signal app
• using the first name instead of last name for the email
• difference in job description on the Signal and official LinkedIn
• “support office” is not actually listed in the official site
• no picture in the email account
• origin of check doesn’t match where the “support office” is located
• the bank of the check is not present in the “support office” location

This is a hard pill to swallow for me because I did not do my due diligence in checking and validating the job offer, still clinging onto the hope that I will probably make a good money out of it. Do not be like me :(