Internet scams are becoming more and more creative by the day. Scammers are constantly coming up with very intelligent tricks to trap unsuspecting victims. It’s important to be aware that many scams come in the form of fake job offers. Many scammers will contact professionals offering them job opportunities in order to acquire their personal information and bank account details. Some scammers will even use job boards and sites to find their victims. When applying for jobs online, one of the most important features to always verify is the privacy policy of the job site being used. Make sure that only registered/verified employers can gain access to your contact information and details. Here are a few things to remember when you receive a “fishy” job offer:
1. Is it Too Good to Be True?
Did you get an email from a supposed recruiter or an employer, who offered you the job straight away without having to go through a normal application process? Or did you receive a phone call promising you a huge salary to work part-time from home? Did they request a fee in advance to hire you, or train you? Or maybe they said they found your CV on a job site that you’ve never posted your information on. These are all red flags to watch out for. Reputable companies will always have a process for hiring, it is not instantaneous. Most importantly, legitimate companies will always absorb the costs of hiring you and will never ask you for money up front for any reason.
2. Is it a Legitimate Company?
Do your research before moving forward with a job offer. Check if the company has a website, and contact details. If there is no website or, at the very least, a social media page, be very cautious. If you do in fact find a website, then compare the contact details displayed to the ones they provided you with when they contacted you. Many scammers claim to be a legitimate company. You can also do a quick Google search to see if it there have been any reports or complaints by other job-seekers.
3. Is it a Personal Email Address?
More often than not, reputable organizations and businesses will have corporate email addresses. If the email comes from a free domain such as Gmail or Hotmail, make sure you do your research before proceeding. Sometimes, a scam email may even look like it is coming from a real company server. Always look at the email address carefully, and verify it by visiting the company page. The difference may be minor, such as an email coming from “…@srz-design.org” instead of “…@srzdesign.org”. If you sense that the address may be fake, you can always contact the company by phone and verify that they actually sent you the email.
4. Are They Asking For Personal/Confidential Information?
Did you get an email stating that you’ve been chosen from a pool of candidates, and the company wants to hire you immediately given that you send your full name and bank information in order for them to set up direct deposits? Or maybe they sent you a link to visit, that will request access to your online bank information. Stay away from anything of that sort. A legitimate company will not hire you without first meeting with you. Always avoid entering personal information online and definitely don’t give anyone access to your bank information. Direct deposit information is usually one of the last steps of hiring and occurs after you have met with at least one person from the company. You can check how secure the company website is by checking the address bar. Always make sure it is https not http when it’s sensitive material.
5. Is it Professional?
Is the email well written? Are there many grammar and spelling mistakes? Does the person who emailed you have a company signature at the bottom of the email? Is the job description clear and professional? Does it state what experience or skills it requires? Ensure that all the usual requirements are present in the description, whether you received it in an email or found it on a job board or social media.
Note that the above tips are not exhaustive and that the presence of any of them can be sufficient to signal a red-flag as a potential job scam.