Beware Monster, Michael Parks, and Linear

Monster appears to be a relentless source of identity theft scams with “Michael Parks” and Linear being the latest. Monster must be making money from these identity theft scams because there is no way to report them.

Do you see any option to “Report?” I certainly don’t.

How you know it is a scam

First, they want to “interview” you in a non-recording manner

Notice they specifically tell you not to respond within Monster messaging system where the conversation would be logged for posterity. A legitimate interview offer would have tried to schedule an interview. This scam has an open Microsoft Teams meeting. Offers zero time slots. Presumably you could join at 3 a.m. and find someone there.

You will note Luca Dipierro wanted me to install Signal messaging App to interview when Health Gorilla was supposedly recruiting me.

Next it is a job many layers below you

I’m an IT geek with over 40 years in the field. I write an award winning technical book series, create embedded systems for medical devices, and even write some novels that get great reviews. This is a 100% remote data entry gig.

Data entry is a gig that rarely, if ever, exists today.

When we had to fill out paper order forms and mail them in with a check, data entry was a big industry. Likewise, when companies ran promotions where you filled out a paper form that was mailed in with N box tops or other proof of purchase items to get “free” swag, data entry was big.

Very few places conduct any form of business in that manner. Menards does just to make it impossible to claim your “money back.” They also screw you by not sending real currency or form of legal tender. It can only be redeemed on another purchase at Mendards.

Data entry was always a low wage job. When it was a big deal, Sears, General Foods, etc. hired many moms to do the work. Generally data entry shifts were not 8 hours long. It allowed the moms to work while the kids were in school making almost enough money to cover the cost of getting to work.

Have you paid for shipping/postage lately?

The cost of mailing physical forms to anyone so they can be keyed in would be exorbitant. Recently I was in my local post office where a grandmother was trying to send some crayons and stickers through the mail to her grand kids. They easily fit in a manila envelope. It was over $20. She walked out. There were only a couple of dollars worth of crayons and stickers in the envelope.

Even if some corporation was large enough to get some kind of “flat” shipping rates, someone at a company location would have to receive, box, and ship the forms. That isn’t free. Data entry isn’t a high skilled job. Yes, when I went to high school we had to take a typing class. We had manual and electric typewriters. There were only three Commodore SuperPETs in the school.

Keyboards are everywhere. If you are willing to let them work part time, you can find someone local to come in and do it.

Linear hiring process

The real boot to the head with this message, besides all of the above, is the Linear hiring process.

Linear has one of those touchy-feely Agile scam hiring processes. The only difference here is they claim to actually pay you during your work trial. The vast majority of Agile companies don’t.

Final humiliating kick to the crotch is the Careers page. No Data Entry gigs, but they are looking for a Technical Recruiter. Ethically, a professional couldn’t recruit anyone into an Agile shop. That’s like forcing a devout Orthodox Jew to eat ham and shellfish on the Shabbat. You will burn in Hell for that.

Summary

Monster must be making quite a bit of money from these identity theft hiring scams because they offer account holders no direct method of reporting them.

Never ever acknowledge any direct message on Monster that doesn’t want to have the entire conversation there where it will be logged for eternity. The Web site is scam central.