Employment Scams: Don’t Let Your Dream Job Become a Nightmare.
Employment scams are on the rise worldwide, targeting job seekers. It’s important to be aware of these scams so you can protect your money, personal information, and job-hunting safety.
The year 2023 will be a difficult time for job seekers around the world. Employment scams take advantage of the need to find work and support themselves and families. Scammers contact job seekers, often through unsolicited phone calls or emails, posing as employers or recruiters.
They manipulate victims by promising them high-paying positions, remote work opportunities, or exclusive job offers.T
his kind of scam usually consist of a series of systematic phone calls designed to deceive victims: The scammers make contact, often via cold calling or by sending emails announcing that they have a job.
They could impersonate well-known companies or use generic job titles to appear credible. Scammers lure their victims by offering them high salaries, flexible working hours, or other perks. They take advantage of the need for work and can create a sense of urgency with persuasive language.
In order to continue the application process, scammers ask for personal information such as social security numbers (US), bank account details or copies of identification documents.
This information can be used for identity theft or sold on the black market. In some cases, scammers may ask for an upfront payment for job applications, background checks, or training materials.
In India lately, it is very common to require people to perform tasks that require payment in advance. Reputable employers typically cover these costs, and asking for an upfront payment is a red flag.
There are reports of SMS scams in South Africa where job seekers receive an SMS to a specific phone number to accept an interview offer or find out more about a job. The job seeker is then charged a hefty fee for replying to the message. Any job offer presented without an application process or formal interview should be approached with caution.
To protect yourself from ‘Career Opportunities’ phone scam requires vigilance and caution. Please note the following: Before accepting a job offer, check with the company. Check their existence, reputation and contact details on the official website, online reviews and reputable job search platforms.
Beware of jobs that pop up unexpectedly. Reputable employers usually require an application process and interviews before they can submit an offer.
Avoid giving out sensitive information, such as your social security number, bank details, or photocopies of ID, during first interviews. Reputable employers will request this information later and for sure. Beware of being asked to pay upfront for an application, background check, or training materials. Reputable employers do not charge applicants during the application process. When something seems wrong or too good to be true, trust your instincts.
If a job posting looks suspicious to you, check the company’s legitimacy and be careful before proceeding.
In Nigeria: website can be of help to check authenticity of a job alert https://nelex.gov.ng/. It aims to be a verified job board but has only recently launched.
