There have always been job opportunities that are a scam – either designed to steal your identity, money, or even contacts (Ex: “Send us 50 people you would contact to sell life insurance to if you were to get hired with us…”). I’ve had people in multi-level marketing schemes ask me if any of my job seekers “would like to earn money in a side-hustle while looking for a job” and if I would help them recruit people for their “downline.” (ABSOLUTELY NOT.)
Scammers have become increasingly innovative and harmful by utilizing AI-powered bot interviews to capture enough of your voice and appearance for the purpose of identity theft or creating deepfake content.
If you are desperate to find a job or bring in some income, it can make you ignore some of the red flags and fall victim to these bad actors. Identifying job scams can be challenging, but there are several red flags to watch out for:
1. Unsolicited Offers: If you receive an unsolicited job offer or interview request, especially if you have not applied to the company, it could be a scam.
2. Too Good to Be True: Job offers with exceptionally high salaries, flexible work hours, or other perks that seem too good to be true often are.
3. Lack of Company Information: Legitimate companies have an online presence. If you can’t find information about the company or if the information seems inconsistent or incomplete, it’s a red flag.
4. Request for Personal Information: Be wary of any job that requires you to provide sensitive personal information (e.g., Social Security number, bank details) early in the process. (You might need to give this information later for legitimate reasons, like background checks or to have your pay direct-deposited.)
5. Upfront Payments: Legitimate employers do not ask for money for background checks, training, IT equipment, or other fees upfront. Even asking for you to pay $50 for a background check is a big red flag. Likewise, legitimate recruiters don’t charge job seekers to get jobs – to be blunt, you are our product, not the customer.
6. Vague Job Descriptions: Scams often have vague or generic job descriptions that don't provide much detail about the responsibilities or the company.
7. Unprofessional Communication: Poor grammar, spelling mistakes, and unprofessional language in emails or other communications can be a sign of a scam.
8. Immediate Job Offers: Be cautious of job offers made without an interview or after a very brief interview process.
9. Strange Email Addresses: Legitimate companies typically use corporate email addresses. Be suspicious of communications from generic email domains (e.g., Gmail, Yahoo) or email addresses or links that don’t match the company’s official domain.
10. Pressure to Act Quickly: Scammers often pressure you to make quick decisions or to act immediately to secure the job.
11. Too Much Focus on Personal Information: If a recruiter or employer is overly interested in your personal information rather than your qualifications, it’s a red flag.
12. No Online or Physical Presence: If the company or recruiter has no online or physical presence (e.g., LinkedIn profile, company website, corporate address), it could be a scam.
Staying vigilant and doing thorough research can help you avoid falling victim to job scams. If you are unsure, ask someone you trust “Hey, does this sound legit?” Remember, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
Good hunting.
- Ed
If this was forwarded to you, here’s a little about me:
Ed Voelsing is a former US Navy Officer, Veteran advocate, and career executive recruiter working to match exceptional talent to the best organizations in the US. He is the owner of The Rivet Group, a recruiting firm based in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Comments