Get the job but avoid the scam!
Tips on identifying job scams and how you can avoid them
You just opened your inbox and it gave you a glimpse of hope – they want you! After months of being on the hunt for jobs online, a recruiter is finally reaching out to you inviting you to your dream job, one too good to be true… is it fake or real?
As a young job seeker it can be frustrating trying to differentiate real job postings and recruitment efforts from the creative approach of scammers and bots. It may have you even wondering if there is something about your job profile that makes you a target for job scams.
What are job scams?
Job scams are fake job postings or job offers sent by criminals posing as employers or recruiters reaching unsuspecting job seekers with the intent of collecting money or personal information, such as SIN or bank details. These types of scams have been on the rise since the pandemic started and often present job seekers with a work from home opportunity that seems too good to be true. This is then followed by a request for information that an employer may ask for such as full name, address, social insurance number (SIN), and even banking details. Stats from Canada’s Anti-Fraud Centre (CAFC) reported more than 68,000 cases of fraud in 2021, totaling in losses of up to $231 million, more than double the losses in 2020. Scary, right?
Firstly, the purpose of this article is not to leave you feeling vulnerable and scared but rather to offer you the tools and resources to protect yourself from job scammers. The world we live in is ever evolving and more advanced technologies are always on the horizon, however the best way to protect ourselves is to know the risks and limit the opportunity.
Secondly, we hope that what we share in this article will lessen the frustration and boost your confidence as you work towards landing that job or career. We want to see you succeed and that is why our team is dedicated to offering you a range of employment and job ready services for free! To view our list of services click here.
So how can you protect yourself from job scams?
We have compiled a list of 3 things you can do to protect yourself from job scammers, and they are all free!
1. Identify the risk
When you can differentiate a job scam from a real job opportunity, you are less likely to fall prey to scammers looking to gain access to your personal information or access your bank account. To do this, you must understand what to look for. If an employer or recruiter contacts you asking for your personal information before having the opportunity for an interview (virtual or in-person), be wary! If you are ever unsure, it is best to ask. Search for the company online to validate if it exists. If no company name is given, look at the email of the sender – is it a company email or a personal email like .gmail? Below are eight things to look for if the job offer or posting just seems too good to be true.
2. Trust your instincts
When something sounds too good to be true – it just might be (untrue, that is). With the transition to virtual offices, many job scammers will offer you an irresistible work-from-home opportunity, with no experience required, and pay that hits the sweet spot! As you look over the job duties, you find yourself at ease because it seems like a no brainer – anyone can do it. This is when you need to take a pause and ask “What is it they want from me?”
Job scammers will ask for one of two things (if not both)
For you to provide them with personal information like your first name and address. While this may seem harmless, this information is what you need, with the right scamming experience, to steal someone’s identity. More obvious scams will ask you to forward banking information or your social insurance number (SIN). This is information you should only present to an employer when you have confirmed a real job opportunity for which you had an interview, received an official offer letter with a job contract, and arrived to your first day of work. You should not be presenting this information before you get the job and especially not in response to an email job offer for a job you do not even remember applying for.
For you to make a payment to secure the job offer. This may be presented as a recruitment service fee, technology (laptop or cell phone) security deposit, or a mandatory training fee. One thing to remember is that your are applying for a job to get paid, not to pay someone else. In Ontario, you are not required to pay recruiters or hiring agencies for a job or to help you find a job. Legitimate agencies and recruiters are supposed to charge employers to find workers for them. You can get free help finding a job from an employment agency.
3. Better to be safe than sorry
While you may be the brave courageous type who will let nothing stand in your way of living the life you truly deserve, a fake job offer is not worth the trouble. So when in doubt, take your time to gather more information before accepting the offer. We live in the digital age with information at our fingertips. Use that information and ask google. Copy the email into google and see what turns up. Are other people reporting the same scam? Search for the company online and add the word “scam” in your search and see what results are displayed. The important thing to remember here is not to rush to give them what they are asking for until you know who is asking for it – even then, follow the suggestions above.
Now, you may have been out of the job for a while and thinking “let me take my chances”. My suggestion is to consider the risk. You think things may be tough now but wait until that job you never applied for starts hurting every other opportunity. You are better off rejecting an obvious scam than taking your chances and later being sorry.
I know the job market today is not the easiest one to navigate but hang in there! Take the steps to prepare yourself for that opportunity that will come, so that when it does, you can put your best foot forward.
Not sure how? Ask us!
