I took a remote marketing job with a real estate company during COVID, despite the low pay of USD 1,000 a month. I was in a tough spot and needed any income. The owner, a German man, operated several real estate listing sites in different countries. Shortly after starting, a colleague discovered that our boss had a criminal background involving racketeering and fraud in the US. He had reinvented himself overseas, which I regrettably didn’t research before accepting the job. In my first month, I received about USD 900 instead of the agreed amount because he claimed I hadn’t invoiced him on time, even though I had. By the second month, I received nothing at all. I followed up repeatedly, but he always claimed the money was transferred, which it never was. Eventually, I gave up and documented everything about the company and the owner, submitting my findings to company-review sites. Despite my efforts, he continues to operate in Hong Kong and Thailand under different business ventures. This experience taught me a valuable lesson: when you're desperate for work, it's easy to skip due diligence, but that's often when you need it the most. Sometimes, the real danger lies in seemingly legitimate companies run by individuals with questionable backgrounds.