LAWTON, Okla_Lawton Salvation
Army officials say someone is impersonating them on Craigslist to acquire
people's personal credit information. They say a 'Bruce Zailo' is claiming to
be a human resources director for the Boys and Girls Club and has posted an
opening for an executive assistant at the building. It goes on to say that
people who apply for that position need to go a website called 'This Credit Report'
to check their credit score and email that information to Zailo.
Salvation Army Captain
Ernie Hull said he's furious a scammer is using the Salvation Army name to
commit a crime. Luckily one woman who replied to the posting didn't send her
credit score. She did however send her resume and because of that does not want
her name shared with the public.
When a posting
on Craigslist for an executive assistant at the Lawton Salvation Army's Boys
and Girls Club became available, she quickly applied. She had been looking for
a job since June of last year and checked Craigslist at least three times a
week for one.
"I thought
it almost sounded too good to be true."
She said she emailed
'Zailo' her resume and within a few days got a response.
"They
wanted to know about my personality and how I deal with co-workers."
She said she
replied, but a request to send him her credit score stated in a later email
sent from him threw up red flags, along with his grammar.
"I am
quoting this person 'came to work this place' and 'don't be concerned about
having a poor credit rating because I had one and I was hired.'"
So she
contacted the Boys' and Girls' Club and spoke with Captain Ernie Hull, who
informed her that the post was fake.
"It
certainly blackens our eye a little bit. While we have nothing to do with the
post, it is fraudulent. These people answer this stuff and if they do get taken
in and they do a credit report and somebody steals their identity it looks bad
on the Salvation Army."
Captain Hull said
from what he knows they have never used online sites, other than their own to
post job openings and conduct interviews. He said they'd rather meet the person
interested in working there face-to-face.
The woman who
responded is still searching for a job, but she's also hoping whoever is
running the scam is found.
Captain Hull
said they usually rely on the local work force, the local media or word of
mouth to find help. The same posting has targeted salvation armies in Wichita falls, Oklahoma city,
and fort Collins, Colorado.
