One of the many things that people are most concerned about is getting a job. It can be a hassle starting a career, progressing in one, or transitioning into another. The problem is usually that several people are interested in the same opportunity. This constant job search, however, has given criminals a chance to take advantage of people, like providing online fake job offers in an attempt to steal or use personal information unlawfully. Unfortunately, it is also challenging trying to discern what position is legitimate and whatnot. Luckily, it isn’t impossible to identify job scams, and that is what this article is about to do. Find out the various warning signs of an employment scam and ways to protect yourself here.
How Can You Know If a Job Is a Scam?
As you delve into how to know if a job is a scam, you should be aware that fraudsters always come with too-good-to-be-true offers. They also make sure to put someone in a position where there is a need for immediate action. However, you need to understand that to tackle this problem, you have to recognize the common red flags and always remember that legitimate employment won’t force you to do anything with potentially high risk.
Below are 13 signs that tell a job posting is fake.
1. You Did Not Apply
As an employment seeker, one of the several easy ways to tell if a job offer is a scam is that the recruiter contacts you, claiming to have found your online resume. The scammer/recruiter will then proceed to offer you a software or sales job position because they think you are fit for the role. If you didn’t apply for this work or haven’t provided your resume to an agency, there is a good chance it is a scam. No recruiter will call you without you applying first.
2. The Recruiter First Contacts You
Synonymous with an unsubmitted application, the recruiter always contacts you first, which is a technique often used by scammers. They always claim to have found your application email or online resume and are urgently hiring without scheduling an appointment. If there is no prior appointment or application, the recruiter is likely a con artist.
3. You Immediately Receive a Job Offer
One of the things that should raise suspicion about a new job scam is that you receive an employment letter immediately. Usually, these companies don’t have verifiable addresses or information. So, if you didn’t apply to any open (including remote work) position at the organization and you didn’t participate in any interview process, the offer letter is definitely fake.
4. The Pay Is Really Substantial
Scammers understand that job seekers are desperate, so they provide offers that seem irresistible, including promising substantial payment and short hours. Also, you could be guaranteed quick wealth when you become a part of the company. Thus, it is a huge red flag if you will be getting paid extremely for a position you never applied to.
5. The Schedule Appears to Be Too Simple
Also, scam employment often comes with simple, flexible schedules. These criminals will claim to provide you with an easy-to-do job so that it doesn’t affect your work-life balance. If it seems too good to be true, coupled with outrageous payment and unsolicited job offers, it is mostly a fraud.
6. Job Requirements and Description Are Ambiguous
Ambiguity is another way to tell if an online job is legit or not. Many job descriptions and requirements are clear and specific. However, if you don’t get that from a posting, you should be extremely careful. You may also find inconsistencies, such as outrageous age requirements, availability to everyone, and some other vague details.
7. The Company Asks for Payment From You
Legitimate jobs don’t require that you pay some amount of money to get hired or considered for an interview. Any employment offer that comes with the criterion is definitely a fluke.
8. An Interviewer Appears Unprofessional
Nowadays, interviewers use popular video conference channels like Zoom and Skype to host interviews. However, if the hiring manager uses an email, chat, or messaging platform for interviews, then there is a need to raise concerns. So, when checking out a job offer, you should find loopholes such as poorly written sentences, the use of wrong salutations and tenses, and an unprofessional address method.
9. There Are No Contact Details for the Employer or Business
Most hiring companies provide important information such as business name, phone number, email address, and site when posting job opportunities. Even after contacting selected candidates for interviews via email, they provide follow-up channels (or contact details) so that seekers can reach back effectively. If you don’t find contact information in the business or employer’s email, then you should consider it a scam.
10. A Company Requests Confidential Information Before Hiring
A significant difference between legitimate employment and a scam is that the latter requests that you provide confidential information after signing the offer letter and resume the new position. On the other hand, the former asks that you provide sensitive information, such as your social security number, bank account information, and other personally identifiable details, before starting the job.
11. Other Employees Aren’t on Social Media or Have Private Profiles
Another incredible way to know if a job posting is a scam is the company’s online activity or profile. In this 21st century, most companies now have social media platforms to reach out to audiences and communicate with potential talents wishing to join them. However, if you don’t find the company or the alleged employees on social media like LinkedIn, Instagram, or Facebook, you should regard it as a scam. In worst-case scenarios, these individuals or companies have private profiles, which is a warning sign.
12. Job Postings Include Phony Links to Firm Websites
Some specific details determine the authenticity of a company’s website. Scam websites usually contain suspicious or confusing URLs that may redirect you to another page or install malware into your device. So, if you get phony links directing you to firm sites in a job offer email, you should disregard it.
13. The Payment Is Entirely Commission-Based
If you suddenly get a role that is 100% commission-based and requires recruiting “new talents,” it is a bad sign. Usually, commissions are bonuses added to salaries; however, if your salary is dependent on that, then you should ignore such an offer.
How to Protect Yourself from Job Offering Frauds
Now that you know the various signs of a job scam, the next step is to work towards protecting yourself from them. Here are effective ways to avoid becoming a victim.
Always Due Diligence
When you see scam job postings, the first thing to do is to do due diligence. You should research the company and understand its values. If you’ve previously applied for a position at the organization, you should review the website and utilize the contact details. The reason is so that you can be assured that it is a legit offer.
Avoid Providing Personal or Financial Information to Anyone
One of the things that scammers do is to request financial and personal information immediately after contacting you personally via email or phone number. You should never provide these details unless you’ve performed due diligence and are sure that the hiring company is legit.
Never Pay for Anything
As aforementioned, no legitimate company requests that you pay for anything via direct deposit, credit card, or wire transfer to get a job or an interview with them. So, if you see one that does or asks you to pay a bill in advance, you should ignore it.
Avoid Clicking Random Links
When you find a recruiter’s email with a job position, you should scrutinize every information provided. You should check out how such a person addresses you and look out for grammatical errors. More importantly, you shouldn’t click random links – always confirm that it is legit before clicking.
Use Identity Theft Protection
In case you mistakenly click a suspicious link in a fraud employment offer, you should make sure to install identity theft protection software on your device. Sometimes, scammers send this link so that they can steal people’s sensitive data to create fake identities for themselves. However, the software protection tool will block all unauthorized access.
Trust Your Gut
Finally, when you check fraud job offers, you should always trust your gut. If you think the employment looks scammy, such as a promise to make money quickly within short hours, you should disregard it.
How to Report a Job Scam
Since job ad scams are now common, some channels have been provided to report the issue. Here is a list of agencies to contact:
- The Federal Trade Commission;
- The Internet Crime Complaint Center;
- The Better Business Bureau;
- The Local Authority or Police.
Reporting to these authorities will prevent you or other people from getting scammed.
How Can Radaris Help?
Many have become victims because they don’t know how to check if a job is a scam. However, this becomes easy with the use of highly effective tools like Radaris.com that can be used to perform an efficient look up. It gives people an idea of what someone is based on their digital footprints.
Radaris is an open-source software designed to search the internet for details on public records. It can help in finding out if a company name, phone number, website, or email is legit or not simply by entering the details on the site. It is one quick and effective way to detect an employment red flag.
Conclusion
Now that you know how to find out if a job is legit, you can protect yourself against scammers who use this as a means to steal people’s identities. You should take cognizance of the protection tips above and follow the Radaris recommendation for safety. Overall, you can be one person less in ID theft cases via employment fraud every year.
FAQ
How Do You Verify if a Job Offer Is Real?
You can check for the important details in the offer letter – figure out anything suspicious. Also, you can utilize a reliable website reviewer or checker to find out the company’s legitimacy.
What Are Important Things to Keep In Mind When Spotting a Job Scam?
When you come across a job opening, always look out for the job description and requirements – if it sounds too good to be true, then you should avoid it. Also, you should check if there are verifiable contact details and address locations.
Is There an App to Verify Employment?
Yes, there are.
Some apps or online platforms can help you determine if employment is real or not. Some include HireRight, Checkr, and LinkedIn.
What to Do if You Fell Victim of a Job Scam?
If you’ve become a victim of employment fraud, you should report it immediately to the appropriate authorities, i.e., FTC, Job Board, etc.
