Scammers are targeting the United States Golf Association’s biggest event, the U.S. Open, in hopes of procuring some personal and financial information of people seeking part-time or full-time employment.
The USGA sent out several notices on Tuesday warning of an email marketing scam that has recently been brought to their attention.
“The USGA was recently made aware of a fraudulent email campaign in which persons are falsely posing as USGA representatives to offer job candidates part-time employment for use of their vehicles to advertise for the 2020 U.S. Open. Please be advised that this is a scam,” the USGA said in a statement. “This email campaign and the persons involved are in no way affiliated with or have any connection to the USGA or the U.S. Open.
“Do not respond to the email and do not provide any personal or financial information. If you receive any such email or solicitation, please email the USGA at privacy@usga.org. You may also want to notify your local law enforcement regarding this scam.”
SCAM ALERT: Someone posing as the USGA is attempting to solicit workers for the @usopengolf. It is fraudulent. Please be aware and share.
Click below for additional information:
— USGA (@USGA) August 18, 2020
According to a Twitter post from a user bringing attention to the scam, the guilty parties used an email address that read ads.usopenchampionships@gmail.com.
In the attached email, the scammers offered the person a weekly paycheck that would include extra money that would have to be paid back to the “specialist” the employee would work with in order to wrap the car in U.S. Open decals.
@USGA I believe someone is using your platform to scam people. pic.twitter.com/5sGgF3GIgT
— Adriana Bernabel (@AdriEvalisse88) May 28, 2020
It was the employee’s responsibility to cash their paycheck and pay the extra funds back to the scammers in the form of gift cards or electronic money transfers.
This isn’t unchartered waters for the USGA, however. Just three years ago ahead of the U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills.
SCAM ALERT: Someone posing as the USGA is trying to solicit workers for 2018 @usopengolf. It is fraudulent. Please be aware and share. pic.twitter.com/s8XsP9PWEV
— USGA (@USGA) November 1, 2017
Similar to this year’s scam, email, as well as text campaigns, were used to solicit part-time work, but in 2017, they targeted people with a .edu extension on their email addresses.
The 2020 U.S. Open is slated to be played at Winged Foot Golf Club in Mamaroneck, New York from September 17-20.
