Data Entry/Office Assistant

So I got an email back from [email protected] with this text:

Good Morning,

Dear applicant, we apologize for the delay in response, as in regards to your resume that was forwarded to our head department for the Office Assistant position, The Hiring Desk have reviewed your resume for the Office Assistant position, and we believe you have the required qualifications to proceed. This is a Office Assistant position, Working hours are from 8am-3pm,Monday - Friday.The starting pay is $24.75 /hr for this Office Assistant position, you are also expected to come online through Yahoo Messenger during working hours.


I want you to setup a yahoo messenger and if you got one already use it, Add Mrs Tashauna Wilcox the Hiring Manager and IM her on this ID ([email protected]) asap for the interview/briefing and comprehensive job details.This is our first step to proceed further. she will be on online waiting for you. Interview Schedule date/time is on Tuesday 4th of June 2013, @8am to 3pm..


Best Regards
Human Resources

The only thing I found really sketchy about the whole thing was that she mentioned that they would send me a check that I had to use to buy equipment from their local vendor. Does this sound like a scam?

Yes it does, you'd most likely be buying goods using stolen/fake checks.

With regards to the use of checks to buy through their local vendor, you'd get the cheque, cash it, send money to the vendor by Western Union for the goods needed by the company and they'd pocket the money. Next your bank discovers the check is dodgy and you will be responsible for reimbursing them for all the money. You local Police will also be wanting to have a word in your ear.

Real companies:
*have their own domain names
*don't use Yahoo Messenger for interviews (I've had an interview through Google Docs, but I was talking with the interviewer on the phone at the same time)
*don't hire office managers who work at home.