Scammers prey on job seekers’ vulnerabilities as they seek new and better opportunities. While you focus on your next career opportunity, be aware of and look for some of the below points:
- Job scams may be posted on public platforms or sent privately.
- When reaching out to and interacting with candidates, job scammers often use similar methods to those used by legitimate recruiters.
- You are asked to pay a fee for an application and/or an interview.
- You are asked to provide sensitive personal information like your banking information.
- There’s a lot of pressure to respond quickly, and you might get multiple messages in a short amount of time. For example, “Did you receive my message?” or “Why haven’t you responded?”
- The job descriptions are poorly written or confusing.
- The recruiter is unable to answer basic questions about the opportunity
Ways to protect yourself from job scams
- Double-check job postings on the company’s career website. Even if a recruiter contacts you about a job opportunity, be aware that jobs are usually posted on the career website of a company. So, first research the job opportunity that has been advertised.
- Check the recruiter’s LinkedIn and other social media profiles to try and validate the authenticity and legitimacy of the recruiter.
- Do not share your personal details or government identity documents except with a recruiter who has a verified company email account.
- Do not make any online payments, as companies will not normally ask for fees or payment for an application, an interview, and/or recruitment services.
Leela, a Senior Manager – Talent Acquisition, with Fidelity Investments India, says her number one red flag is: “Scammers prey on hope. Don’t let desperation lead to deception. Research before you respond.”
