The Compassionate Thief September 6, 2008

Letting a stranger come into your home is a big deal, especially when that someone is there to take care of your prize possession, your kids. Can you just imagine being a new Mom coming home concerned that your new Nanny has taken great care of your baby, checking to see that all is well and your little one is happy and safe? Weeks later after you have found out that new Nanny left town do you see your credit card was racked up and money is missing from your home?  Ouch, what a blow, you were robbed by the same woman you hired to protect your kids? 

 

I recently read an article of a woman that did just that to many families a few years ago. She stole more then $100,000 from several families by posing as someone else and using their name and information to serve as her way into being hired, being trusted, only to rip these innocent people off. She didn’t just work for families; she preyed on first time moms with new babies, sleep deprived and desperate for help. Now, come on, right? Any mom can tell you how insanely exhausted and irrational you are in the first couple of months! This woman was good; she went right for the easy targets. How awful to know she worked so hard to have them believe she was an experienced caregiver, wanting to help them get some sleep at night and watch over there new babies, meanwhile she is snooping in their computers and snatching their wallets. 

 

As if bringing a perfect stranger into your home isn’t hard enough.  You really have to take your time when you hire a nanny, now more then ever. The list of concerns is a mile long. This woman used craigslist, a popular and useful tool for finding services and goods as a way to gain information on legitimate nannies actually seeking employment. When the families would check out her background etc, they would find a clean record with wonderful references. Sadly they didn’t belong to the women they were welcoming into their homes.

 

If you are interviewing someone, you may just want to take some extra steps. Ask the former families what this person looks like or other questions that might help you to be sure of her identity if there is any question at all. Get a second opinion. Have a family member or friend speak to them and get a feel for their personality. Do not go it alone, use agencies that work solely to match up Nannies with families. Let them worry about the details. Check out online recruiting services like www.citinannies.net as they offer a variety of pre-screening services to ensure you hire a great nanny whose identity is verified. 

 

The Nanny Interview Gone Wrong September 1, 2008

In 2007, a young woman named Katherine Olson was murdered after responding to an ad for a babysitter she found online at Craigslist.   We constantly talk about families worrying about finding a safe nanny but forget that the nannies need to be careful as well. You never know who is on the other end of an online ad or who you may end up working for. It is a scary thought to think you cannot trust someone asking you to come care for his or her kids or think that some may not even have a child.    There are sick people out there and we all need to protect ourselves.

I am not saying there aren’t great people out there seeking great people to work for or hire. I find myself thinking about how incredibly easy it is to find everything online, directions, apartment rentals, recipes, you name it. The internet is a vast resource that I cannot imagine living without but with that comes dangers and downfalls. You just don’t know who is on the other side of the ads, chat rooms, or emails. I can recall years back when chat rooms sprang up, hearing tales of 60-year-old men posing as 16 year olds chatting up young girls. That kind of thing scared me into not ever going into a chat room to this day. But we can’t live our lives in fear, we just need to have our guard up in these uncharted waters.

There are plenty of success stories out there of couples who found each other online and lived happily ever after. I am guessing many of them stem from using online dating services since they screen candidates and use matching programs. 

I myself would probably do the same if I needed it and was seeking that special someone. I would feel a lot safer knowing a company was behind things not just a random person floating in cyber space seeking out the next random woman. The same could be said in the case of looking for employment or employees. You are better off sticking with agencies or word of mouth from families and friends whether you are looking to work in someone’s home or invite them into yours. Look for places that screen not only the employee but also the employer.  Citinannies.net works to ensure that both sides are a safe, reliable match. They allow nannies to find who they want to work for in the same way families search for a nanny. 

Sadly, it is the stories with the bad endings that wake us up.   Even in the middle of the afternoon.    It’s never too late to be too cautious.   Visit citinannies today to view the prescreened nannies – today.