Williamsburg, Va. (WTKR) - A Williamsburg woman has a warning for others using the internet to find employment: Be careful!
Carol, who asked that her last name be withheld, is a caregiver.
With her most recent client dealing with an illness in the hospital, she turned to posting on a caregivers website to find additional employment.
Almost immediately, she thought she had an answer in the form of text messages from the 704 area code in North Carolina.
"I was texted early that morning and we texted all day. I really thought I had found something to supplement until I go back to work," Carol told NewsChannel 3's Todd Corillo.
The first text message read: "Hello. My name is Nancy. I'm sorry that I can't call but I can only text because I'm deaf."
All day Carol communicated with her potential employer through text message, answering questions about her experience, salary requirements and job functions.
The broken and fragmented English at times was distracting, but Carol was truly hopeful it was a legitimate possibility.
Then the texter 'Nancy' asked Carol to send her banking account number so that she could send a large check, which she instructed Carol to keep a portion for herself.
"I don't feel comfortable giving you my bank account, you don't know me , we've never met."
"Well if you're going to send me the check, why do you need my bank account? So then that's when I texted back and I said 'Nope I'm not giving you my bank account,'" she explained.
At that point, the text messages stopped and when NewsChannel 3 tried calling 'Nancy,' it went to voicemail.
Carol is hopeful others will heed her warning to think twice when dealing online and is grateful that she wasn't duped.
"I didn't fall off the cabbage truck yesterday you know. I've been around and I just don't tolerate people that don't have anything to do but sit there and try to scam people."
