AKRON, Ohio — Good work-from-home jobs are tough to find, but an Akron mother found out just how tough it can be. She went through the process and even worked for more than two weeks, but in the end, she said she’s empty-handed.
Mychale Green couldn’t believe what she saw. There was a message on her computer saying the site of what she thought was her new employer is now blocked.
“I don’t play with people’s money or their livelihood,” she said with tears in her eyes. “That…I think is cruel. I’m sorry.”
Green said it all started in late October when Esquire Invest INC offered her a work-from-home job that paid well. With her banking background, she told us she worked a total of 95 hours processing payments involving cryptocurrency. But when it was time to get paid, she said the instructions told her to deposit $400 into an online account, and then she would get her pay.
"I am behind on my bills considerably. I’ve been asking friends and family for money,” said Green. “I needed my $2,000 to pay my rent.”
TRYING TO CONTACT THE COMPANY
News 5 Investigators were able to get onto Esquire Invest’s site. We tried calling their phone numbers several times, but nothing went through. “The number you have dialed is not in service,” is the recorded message we heard for one of the numbers.
We emailed the company three times but got no response.
We obtained video from over the weekend of the address listed for Esquire Invest INC in Miami, Florida. It showed a construction site and no building.
We also found that the state of Florida dissolved the company back in September, but remember, Green said it hired her in late October.
CLEVELAND BBB SAYS BE CAREFUL
Ericka Dilworth from the Better Business Bureau in Cleveland said people call them a lot with questions about job listings.
She said you might have a resume out there and get a random text, email or phone call.
"If it’s all text conversation, if it’s all email conversation, even if it’s just a phone conversation, you really have no way to confirm is this an actual business,” said Dilworth.
Plus, she told us that if the employer is asking you to pay or deposit your own money, that’s the biggest red flag.
"I can’t think of a situation that I’ve encountered where it is appropriate for the person hiring you to ask for money,” she said.
For Green, she was depending on her pay, even telling her landlord she would be able to get him the rent.
"And I look like a liar because we’re not good. And if me and my daughter become homeless from this…nobody cares,” said Green.
The BBB said if you report lost money right away to your bank, there’s a slight chance you’ll get it back. But if you wait a couple of days, or a week, it’s highly unlikely you’ll get anything back.
