Don’t Get Scammed!

Employment scams are becoming more common, and job seekers continue to be a target of cunning scammers. If you’re looking for a new job, be alert to these scams by learning what to watch out for to better safeguard yourself against them. Criminals will pose as reputable companies and post fictitious job descriptions on fake websites that look like the real thing. They will then make fraudulent job offers to job seekers. Sometimes, they ask for money, banking details, or other personally identifiable information.

These scams have become more sophisticated and can appear as legitimate recruitment activities, often through third-party websites or direct email. Recruitment fraud is becoming increasingly common. Here are some tips to avoid being a victim of one of these:

Generic emails. Scammers try to cast a wide net by including little or no specific information. Always be wary of emails that seem overly generic.

Check for misspellings of the company name in the email addresses.

Immediate offer of employment. Many of these scammers will offer employment without ever meeting candidates. 

Request for financial information or payments. A legitimate recruiter will never ask prospective employees for payment to apply for a position or as a condition of employment. Many scammers will ask you to send cryptocurrency or initiate a wire transfer. Never give a recruiter your banking details, credit card information, or any other financial information. 

The “perfect” job. A job posting that states extremely high compensation for a position that requires “no skills or experience” or seems too good to be true and is likely to be fraudulent.

Requests for personal information. Be suspicious of anyone who requests your birth date, Social Security number, credit card number, bank account details, or a copy of your driver’s license before you are hired. These are all things that can be used for identity theft and account hacking.

Unsolicited recruitment. You should also be wary of situations in which someone contacts you about a job you didn’t apply for, claiming to be a recruiter who viewed your profile on a site like LinkedIn. Always research the person before replying. 

Understanding whether a job is a scam in the digital job market is vital. Without the ability to walk into a store or an office, you have to rely on other sources and clues to help you uncover red flags, employment scams, and hackers attempting to steal your information. If you suspect an employer might be a scammer, end all communication with them immediately and report it to the FTC at https://reportfraud.ftc.gov.