Don’t Fall Prey to These Job Scams

In a tight market, like that of now, the employment scam rate increases rapidly.

When people are looking frantically for employment, scammers get a chance to exploit their weaknesses for their benefits. In 2018, about 3,700 scam incidents were reported in the country. A recent report by Forbes revealed that the COVID-19 employment crisis has further increased the number of scams. Over 13,000 scam incidents were reported by the Better Business Bureau scam tracker only in North America. This alarming rate of increase in scams should be taken note of, as the current crisis and those of the future can aggravate the jobseekers’ problems, leading to financial losses, anxiety, and stress.

If you’re wary of the current situation and looking for effective suggestions to keep a safe distance from the scammer, you have come to the right place. Let’s give you some insights into this matter to stop you from falling for these scams.

Types of job scams
There’s no dearth of ways that the scammers may try to trick you into sharing personal and credit information with them. You should identify the following common types of job scams to keep such malicious attempts at bay.

• Fake applications: They will need you to fill up a form with all your details on an unauthorized website to gain access to your credits and other financial information.
• Credit scams: To apply for the job, you’ll be asked to get your credit score checked by directing you to a website, where they are going to get your details, like name, address, phone number, Social Security Number, and more.
• Fake background checks: Sometimes, the scammers go the extra mile to convince for a paid background check to acquire a high-paying job at a reputed organization. They may ask you to pay the interviewer first before the phone interview can be conducted.
• Pay for software: They may also need you to install paid software to conduct the video interview, which ultimately doesn’t take place. You may also be needed to download study materials from paid software before the interview, which turns out to be a scam.
• Trial jobs: You may get a mail saying that you have been selected on a trial or probationary basis, and you should submit a form, which is the contract, with your details, including your Social Security Number.

There can be umpteen other ways for scammers to trap you, so you should be careful while applying for jobs and try to identify the red flags mentioned below:

Use of messaging platforms instead of emails
When a legitimate company responds to your job application, they send their responses through the mail, which contains details about the company, its website, logo, phone number, and address in the signature. You can run a thorough check on the company’s background and look for online reviews with the help of the details provided in the mail.

You can also check the website URL and see if it’s a phishing or eavesdropping one by looking for connection indicators and sub-domains. Last but not least, trust your anti-malware software to mark an unreliable website with a red mark saying ‘Connection Not Secure’. Never trust any ‘HTTP’ website with your vital details, as ‘HTTPS’ is the reliable way to go. If any company tries to connect with you through any of the messaging platforms for a job you have applied for, it’s best to ask them politely to send you all the details through email.

Pay before you get the job
No legitimate organization will ask you to pay for anything to get the job. Even the placement agencies that provide you with a 100% assurance won’t ask for anything unless you get that job. So no paying for software, training materials, or even placement assurance, and you can be safe.

Job descriptions are incomplete or unclear
Many a time, you may find an attractive job offer from a reputable brand in your inbox, stating the remuneration and perks in bright, bold hues without providing a clear idea of the profile, roles, and responsibilities. This is a trap. When you’re suffering from an unemployment crisis, it can be difficult to ignore such offers, as a faint hope lingers in your mind, “What if this is true?” Well, the best way to know that is to call the person on the number provided (if at all) and see what they want from you. But never give any of your details on the phone or through the mail before you’re 100% convinced regarding their authenticity.

The offer is different from the one you applied for
The scammers out there use advanced tools and malware to track your online activity to tailor their scamming strategies accordingly. If you have recently applied for a job and got a positive response for the same, you should check the company name, details of the position, roles, and responsibilities before you give your personal details to the so-called HR department for further consideration. Check if it’s the same job you have applied for and if it isn’t, just delete the message or ‘spam’ it. You should even block and report the mail id to prevent getting further emails from that source.

Wrapping it up
It isn’t wrong or harmful to be skeptical of things before you place your trust in the online world. Anything that seems too obvious or too good to be true should be checked and double-checked to ensure its authenticity. If you can be a little careful in your job search endeavor and keep your eyes open for the red flags, you’ll never fall prey to such incidents.

Search for the most reliable jobs across various industries through authentic job portals like https://helpwanted.com