Don’t get caught out in a job scam

When you are applying for work and sending out multiple applications each day, job advertisements can all start to blur together. It is important to make sure what you are applying for is legitimate as, unfortunately, you may come across fake accounts and job advertisements. Many websites try their best to verify job advertisements are genuine, however some may slip through the cracks as people are trying other advanced methods to trick unaware candidates.

Below are some red flags to look out for during your job search process:

If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is

Job advertisements that claim you will earn a lot of money for not much work are most likely too good to be true. Most of these ‘jobs’ are pitched as being able to work from home and you do not need to go through a standard recruitment process such as an interview or training. You are also likely to not have any visual contact with the person asking you to work for them.

Bad grammar in the job posting

We all make the odd spelling or grammar mistake in our work, however if you come across an advertisement with numerous examples of bad grammar this should be considered a red flag. Legitimate and credible companies have their job advertisements go through an approval process to check the language and overall quality of the advertisement.

They ask for personal information

Often job scams are a way for criminals to steal your money and/or identity. Never give out any personal details such as your bank account details, copy of your passport, driver license or visa. Also keep in mind that a legitimate job advertisement would never ask you to transfer money to them. A legitimate job would put you through a standard recruitment process (such as one or more face to face interviews) before asking for your personal information which may be necessary for background checks and information for payroll.

Criminals may also try to target you via email. If you feel you have received a job scam email, consider the following tips to ensure your safety:

1. Do not click on any hyperlinks
2. Do not open any attachments
3. Do not reply to the email or share any personal information (such as full name, date of birth, address, copy of your passport, bank account details)
4. If you are confident you have received a job scam email, delete it and block the sender.

Hopefully the above tips will provide you with the knowledge to identify job scams and help you to protect your personal information. For further information you can visit Scam Watch and ID Care.

Featured image courtesy of Unsplash