It’s not a real job. It is a recruitment scam

Imagine you’ve been searching for a job for months, and then, at long last, you receive an unexpected text message with a link from a recruiter offering a work-from-home job, earning thousands of dollars a day. All you have to do is fill out a form with your personal information or, in some cases, pay for a starter kit.

If this sounds too good to be true, it is.

Such offers are usually recruitment scams. It may not always seem that way, but job scams in general aim to force you to spend money you’ll never get back or trick you into giving up your data.

Distinguishing them from real job opportunities can be difficult. Here’s how to tell if a job prospect is legitimate or just a scammer out to get your money.

Read more: Business identity theft happens more often than you think

How do job scams work?

Job scams can take many different forms depending on the ultimate goal, and practically anyone can be a target. Criminals impersonate a recruiter, employer, or hiring manager to advertise fake jobs or opportunities for nefarious purposes. And in some cases, scammers Robots will be set up To target people who have posted on LinkedIn about being laid off or being “OpenToWork.”

More than 110,000 business and employment scams were reported to the Federal Trade Commission in 2023, according to a new report. February 2024 Report of losses amounting to $491 million.

Individuals may receive text messages that appear to be untargeted about available jobs. These texts are easy to ignore for those who have not searched for a job, but individuals who are currently looking for a job can easily assume that the texts are related to their search.

These are examples of non-instant text messages I’ve received in the past few months.

I responded to the first message to see what they would say, knowing it was a scam. However, as a general rule, you should not respond to spam messages because it confirms to the scammer that the number is active and that you are willing to respond to future phishing attempts.

The recruiter responded by setting up an interview via WhatsApp, but I never showed up.

Federal Trade Commission warns Some fake job scams promise work-from-home opportunities where you can make thousands of dollars on your own time. But these scams only exist to lure desperate people into buying expensive “kick-starter kits” for what they think is their new business venture.

Recharge Opportunities is another common job scam. This involves the victim agreeing to receive packages at his home which he then repackages and ships to another address. It’s possible that the products themselves, often electronics, were purchased with stolen credit cards, and before you know it, you find yourself involved in a larger scam. Also the check I was promised to help ship the products never came.

For more examples of recent scams, you can check out Best business bureau fraud tracker. Type “job” or “employment” into the search bar to bring up thousands of different job fraud complaints, including details about how they work and the amount of money missing.

How to avoid online recruitment scams

Recruitment scams can be difficult to identify or notice, especially if you’re job hunting and want to believe that any bites from your employer are legitimate. But there are some signs that should raise alarm bells in your mind.

The following steps can help you spot fake job opportunities offered to you by scammers:

• They communicate via text messages. Unless you know the recruiter, this is suspicious activity.
• The recruiter requires money up front. No legitimate company will ask you to pay for work. If a job asks you to pay a fee or send money for equipment, it’s a scam, even if they say you’ll be compensated.
• The compensation is too good to be true. Have an idea of ​​what the job should pay. If the salary is way above your expectations, that’s a red flag.
• The interview takes place via messaging service. Many job interviews are conducted remotely. But it’s usually done over the phone or video conferencing software, like Zoom or Google Meet.
• You get an instant offer. Getting a job should take time because multiple interviews are often required. Recruitment companies will also talk to and screen several candidates.

If you’re still unsure, the FTC recommends researching companies offering you a job to make sure they’re legitimate. Also search for the company name followed by words like “scam” or “review” to see what comes up.

If you want to confirm a job opportunity or job offer with a legitimate company, skip the recruiter and contact them directly.

Can job scams lead to identity theft?

Some employment scams exist to steal money from victims, but others may not stop there.

During the job application process, victims may share standard information that must be provided to a new employer, such as name, date of birth, home address, and Social security number. Identity thieves can use this information to Opening bank accountsOr get loans or Credit cards In your name and even submit fraudulent tax returns.

As a safety measure, keep in mind Freeze your credit with Three major credit bureaus If you fall into a job scam. You should also consider signing up for identity theft protection. These services offer insurance to help pay for necessary expenses if your identity is stolen.

How to report employment fraud

If you come across a fake job offer or job scam, report it so others don’t fall victim. Here’s how:

If you’ve already been the victim of a job scam, you’ll need to take some extra steps to limit the damage and protect yourself from identity theft.

For example, if you share sensitive personal information as part of a scam, you may Freeze your credit reports Or set up fraud alerts on your credit reports. You can also subscribe to Identity theft protection and monitoring serviceswhich can alert you if someone tries to open an account or apply for a loan in your name.

If you do send money to a scammer, the FTC recommends contacting the company behind the payment method you used (e.g., PayPal, Zelle, credit card, etc.) to report the fraud and ask them to cancel the transaction. You’re unlikely to get your money back in most cases, but you won’t know unless you ask.