Avoid Job Scams: Identify and Protect Yourself - Learn How

Job scams are rife. An estimated 14 million people are exposed to employment scams every year costing $2 billion in direct losses, according to the Better Business Bureau. 

Of course, when you're eager to hear back from opportunities, you are vulnerable to scams.  You might let your eagerness to find a new role get in the way of doing your due diligence. However, the truth is that you can’t afford to fall for job scams. You need to protect yourself.

Luckily, you’ve come to the right place. In the following guide, we will look at some of the most prevalent job scams, the red flags of which you should be aware, and how to keep yourself safe.

The 16 most common job scams

First things first, let’s take a look at some of the most common job scams. While these schemes come in all shapes and sizes, there are some major ones that you should know about. Let’s take a look at a selection of tricks that are currently out there, and what each looks like. 

1. Fake jobs and listings 

First up, perhaps the most common type of job scams is a fake listing. When you are searching on job boards, you may come across adverts that seem ‘off’. Of course, it’s important to trust your judgement when this happens. As the old saying goes, if something sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Let’s take a look at some of the major tells of this job scam: 

Fake listing scams can work in a wide variety of ways. These listings are there to hook your interest so that the poster can gain from you. That may mean getting your private information, taking from you financially, or even running a longer scam to steal your identity. 

2. Unsolicited email offers 

Let’s say that you’re searching for a new job and you get an unexpected email. The message is offering you the job of your dreams. But there’s one problem: You don’t actually recall applying for the role. When this scenario rears its ugly head, you should be extremely careful. There are many job scams out there that look real. Unsolicited job offers are always major red flags. 

3. Financial scams 

If a job offer – or even an interview offer – asks for your financial information, don’t give it over. The truth of the matter is that a great number of job scams use this technique. A potential employer would not ask for your details at this point in the hiring process. The fact that someone out there is asking you to hand over this private information is a bad sign. Always make sure that you protect yourself by keeping your financial details to yourself and not sharing them. 

4. WhatsApp job offers 

Should you have WhatsApp, you may have come across this common job scam. You will have received a message offering you a job that you can do from the comfort of your home. Often enough, this type of scam message will say that the recruiter gained your information from a “contact” or “previous employer”. Of course, you should be very wary of these messages. 

5. Work from home scams 

Fancy working from home and making a full-time income? Most people wouldn’t say no to this particular setup. However, work from home job scams have become increasingly popular in recent years. These fraudulent schemes soared in popularity during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Once again, if a role sounds too good to be true, it might be. Whenever you are reading a job listing, consider whether a role of this nature would actually exist. If the poster says that you hardly have to do anything and can make loads of cash, that is a sign that it is fake. 

6. Government jobs scams 

Some job scams offer roles with the federal government or postal service. While these may look legit, you should check them out thoroughly. The schemes may ask you to pay an ‘introductory fee’ or the like to apply for the role. A real recruiter would never ask this of their candidates. 

The good news is that you can find out a wealth of information about governmental jobs. And, it’s not particularly hard to get the facts. If you want to land yourself a position in this sector, start by checking out the government website. You can also look up postal jobs online here. 

7. Fake recruitment websites

When you’re searching for a new job, you want to cast your net as far and wide as possible. For that reason, many job hunters tend to sign up to recruitment websites. That is a smart way to get your name out there and find out about positions you may not hear about otherwise. 

However, there is a dark side to this approach. That is that there are many fake recruitment websites out there that are phishing for your information. Here the signs of a fake site: 

If you have any doubts about a recruitment website, the smartest move is to do your own research. Take the time to look up the recruiter and see whether there is any information online. You might find details about it being a scam or reviews of the website in general. 

8. Pyramid schemes

Pyramid schemes are illegal in the United States – both under state and federal law. These scams ask people to “buy into” their career by fronting some money for either stock or training. However, there’s a catch. The only way that someone can make money through these schemes is by attracting new people to join them, and taking a cut of the money that they use to pay in.

Often enough, scammers will advertise pyramid schemes as a quick way to “be your own boss” and make money from home. However, that is simply not the case here. These job scams have the potential to put you deep into debt and alienate you from your friends and family. 

9. Mystery shopper scams 

Mystery shopper job scams are gaining popularity, too. These usually come in the form of adverts that claim that you can make a ton of money while having a flexible schedule. As the name suggests, the job description will often say that you simply need to buy things either online or in-person. However, this scam is typically a fast way for a third-party to get your financial information. As always, avoid sharing your personal details with strangers online. 

10. Reshipping scams 

Fancy a job repackaging and posting goods? Reshipping job scams say that you can do just that and make a decent salary. However, this type of scheme tends to deal with stolen goods and so you want to steer well clear of it. If you don’t know where the products are coming from, that is a good enough reason not to work for a company. Protect yourself first. 

11. Career advancement grants 

You already know the inherent value of upskilling when you’re looking for a job. However, beware of career advancement grants. There is a common scam going around in which people receive an email telling them that they may be eligible for a specific grant from the government. You will also get a link that you can use to apply for the funding. As you might imagine, this scam is a way for people to gain access to both your personal and financial information. 

12. Stuffing envelopes 

And now for one of the oldest job scams going. The stuffing envelopes scheme says that you can make money by packing envelopes from home. It sounds like a pretty sweet deal. However, this is a pyramid scheme in disguise. When you have got the so-called “job,” you will learn that the only way to make any actual money is by getting commission when other people sign up.

13. Job placement fees

Remember the golden rule: Recruiters should never ask you to pay them. If a ‘headhunter’ comes to you and says that they can place you in a role for a fee, you should run. This is one of the most common job scams and all too many people fall for it when they are looking for roles. 

Most of the time, recruiters make their money by gaining a commission fee from the employer. There are specific terms that they have to commit to before they can make this cash. For example, they may only receive the fee after the candidate has served for three months in the role. Under no circumstances should you – as a job seeker – be paying the recruiter. 

14. Wire transfers

Wire transfers are commonly used by scammers, and so you should always be wary of them. If anybody, especially someone that you don’t know online, asks you to send them money via a wire transfer, you need to think twice. These types of payments are hard to recover. 

That means that once you have made the payment, there’s not a high chance that you will be able to get the cash back. Your bank may not be able to help you with this type of scam. In addition, you should always question why an employer or recruiter is asking for a fee. 

15. Product assembly jobs 

When you are scouring job boards, you may be unfortunate enough to come across this next scam. Some listings will suggest that you can make money from home by assembling products or even crafts. While that may sound like an easy way to make a living, there is a big catch. 

That is that the “employer” will often ask you to pay for the products up front. You may find yourself forking out a load of money to cover the cost of the materials, resources, and so on. Chances are, the only way that you can make the money back is by selling the products yourself. This is one of the most common remote job scams that you need to avoid. 

16. Fake online recruiters 

Getting a message from a recruiter saying that you’re the perfect fit for a role can be flattering. But don’t let that cloud your judgement. The sorry reality is that there are many fake online recruiters out there that are looking to gain your trust and then, of course, your money. 

If you receive a message out of the blue from a recruiter, do some investigating first. Is the recruiter who they say that they are? Do they have a LinkedIn profile or website? Can you find out details about the companies with which they work? If there is zero information about them online, that may be a red flag about the recruiter. Proceed with caution. 

Red flags of a potential job scam

Getting caught by a job scam will cost you financially and emotionally. By looking out for the following red flags, you can protect yourself from fraudulent activity: 

Whenever you are searching for a new job, you need to have your guard up. As upsetting as it may be, there are plenty of scammers out there looking for a way to exploit you online. 

How to protect yourself from job scams

Protecting yourself from job scams should be your number one priority. Let’s take a look at some of the ways that you can keep yourself safe when you are job hunting online: 

Takeaway

Don’t fall prey to job scams. When you are looking for your next role, it is vital that you protect yourself and your finances. Take a look at the examples of scams that we have shared in this guide and also use our advice. It’s smart to take extra measures to keep yourself safe online.

Start applying for legit jobs now! Use our free resume review tool and learn how to level up your application. Get ahead of the competition and get hired faster than ever.

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