Internet Job Scam Reported

A spokesman for the Sweetwater County Sheriff's Department says that agency is receiving numerous reports of phony job applications being used to get personal information.

Dick Blust says the unsolicited e-mails often promise high paying job opportunities, including some that supposedly allow you to work from home. He says such scams tend to increase during the holidays because many people are looking for ways to earn extra money. Blust says the real intent is to get personal information about victims through questions on the application.

Blust says you should ignore such unsolicited messages, adding you should never respond to e-mails that seek personal information unless you have initiated the contact and know who the sender is.