Fake job postings deceive applicants

A recent listing for jobs available with JetBlue Airways at John Wayne Airport left airport employees, authorities and job applicants all scratching their heads until they discovered it was a scam to steal identities, police said.

According to police, at least eight people filled out online applications for receptionist and reservation agent positions with JetBlue at John Wayne Airport last week through a posting on Craigslist.

The only problem, said Jim Amormino of the sheriff’s department, is that JetBlue Airways doesn’t fly out of JWA.

Applicants filled out typical information for the job, including their Social Security number, full name, previous and current addresses, Amormino said. Criminals use that information to make purchases in the victims’ names or get credit cards in their names, among other things, authorities said.

Airport officials were alerted to the scam when people kept coming to the airport asking where JetBlue was, said airport spokeswoman Jenny Wedge.

“JetBlue does not nor have we ever used Craigslist to accept job applications. The only way to apply for a job at JetBlue is directly via our website, JetBlue.com,” the airline said in an official statement. “We are very disappointed that someone is using JetBlue’s name for their own gain and innocent job hunters are being taken advantage of. We are working with both local and federal authorities to put a stop to this as quickly as possible.”

The listing seemed valid because there was even a phone number and fax number provided, each with a 949 prefix, Amormino said.

By the time authorities found out what was happening, the number was disconnected, he said.

Police are certain there are more victims and urge them to call the sheriff’s department if they think they have been a victim. No one has reported any financial losses yet, he said, but that will take time to appear in people’s records.

The same scam happened at the same time at least two other airports across the country, he said.