Although the labor market appears strong, finding work has become more difficult, and this is a situation that scammers are eager to take advantage of.
It’s a big enough problem that federal agencies like the FBI and Federal Trade Commission have issued warnings about job scams.
A common scam is that scammers pretend to be recruiters and contact you proactively – including through recruitment websites such as Indeed and LinkedIn, or even contact you through WhatsApp Message — Attract you with job opportunities you haven’t applied for.
Then, according to TopResume career expert Amanda Augustine, they may ask you to send them money or personal information. Or they may claim that you first need to complete their training courses or coaching services to qualify for their job openings, which is a predatory attempt to sell you their product, she says.
While it’s true that real recruiters often take a cold approach to potential employees, there’s one key difference between them and scammers: “They’re very blunt with you,” says career and leadership coach Phoebe Gavin.
Here’s how to spot and protect yourself from scams when applying for a job.
If a job looks too perfect, be skeptical
Augustine said if a recruiting message “seems too good to be true,” it probably is.
These include job openings that promise to make you a lot of money quickly. Augustine warned that in those “get-rich-quick” situations, “flee to the mountains.”
Be wary if a company offers you a position quickly without going through a standard vetting process. A legitimate process should require at least one interview, even if it’s just by phone, she said.
Still, an interview is no guarantee that the position will be above board. According to ZipRecruiter, scammers sometimes use text chat and video messaging to conduct fake interviews to obtain your personal information without revealing their identity. Some defrauded job seekers have shared their experiences of receiving fake interviews on social media.
According to its latest community report, LinkedIn blocked more than 63 million fake accounts in the second half of 2023. According to reports, the platform also removed more than 108 million pieces of spam and scam content during the same period.
Oscar Rodriguez, LinkedIn’s vice president of trust product management, said in a statement that the job site is “committed to ensuring the platform remains authentic, safe and easy for members to use.”
Ultimately, if a recruiter approaches you for an unusually attractive position Jobs you haven’t applied for yet, “You need to be extremely skeptical,” Augustine said.
Ask questions about vague or non-existent job descriptions
Sometimes, fake scammers will insist that they can’t provide any details because the recruitment information is confidential. But generally speaking, if a company can’t provide a copy of the job description, that’s a big red flag, Augustine said.
Some companies initially keep executive-level job openings secret from high-profile applicants, but as the interview process progresses, they will begin to reveal more details about the position.
“If your title is not director or higher and someone approaches you for a confidential list, it’s probably a scam because companies don’t have much reason to be cautious about hiring individual contributors or manager-level positions,” adds Wen said. “If it were known that searches were taking place for these senior positions, there could be some public relations consequences.”
For vacancies that do not warrant such strict confidentiality, a formal job description should be provided upon request, Augustine explained. You should also be aware of job descriptions that are “very vague” and fail to provide sufficient information about the job title, location, key responsibilities and qualifications.
Job descriptions filled with misspellings and errors may also indicate a scam. However, Augustine said this clue is becoming less prominent as new AI-powered tools like ChatGPT can resolve grammatical issues in text.
Examine the company’s online footprint
Augustine says you should be able to find a digital presence for your company. This could be a LinkedIn profile, website, or social media page.
“Even your mom-and-pop ice cream shop has a Facebook page these days,” she said. “If there were absolutely no digital clues about the company, or when you ran some Google searches, it was really, really sparse, I would be concerned.”
Gavin recommends asking prospective employers to direct you to their websites (where you can also see if job listings have been posted), and double-checking any links you receive to make sure they’re not routing to phishing sites.
Be wary if a recruiter doesn’t use a company email address, Augustine said. She noted that you may find third-party recruiters using Gmail accounts, but internal recruiters often have company email addresses.
Additionally, be on the lookout for communications from email addresses that have misspelled or “spoofed” company names that are similar but slightly different from the actual company name, according to Indeed’s Guide to Safe Job Hunting.
If you’re still unsure whether a company is legitimate, Augustine recommends searching Google for the company’s name and the word “scam.” If this is an illegal business that has been busted before, the search may reveal a history of dishonest activity.
“Take your time” and don’t get discouraged
The pressure and urgency of finding a job can encourage the wisest of people to let down their guard and rush into false trades. But Gavin said it’s important to slow down when offered an opportunity.
“Take your time… If this is a legitimate opportunity, it’s not going to go away in one hour. They’re not going to find candidates, interview them, offer them, negotiate them and sign them in one hour,” she said. “It’s in your best interest and it costs you nothing to take the time to verify that this is a real person working on behalf of a real organization.”
Augustine recommends keeping track of all the positions you apply for. Some scammers will try to trick you into believing you have applied for their position and use your disorganization to trick you into their recruitment program.
Despite rampant online risks, Gavin advises her clients not to let fear get the better of them.
“You can decide that you’re not going to let the fear of scams stop you from using LinkedIn because it’s the most important recruiting tool on the Internet right now,” she said.
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