As you may know, cybercrime is common due to how easy it is to get somebody’s details. One particular area that has an increased number of scams is job seekers. It is happening to people all over the UK because they are unaware of how often these occur when businesses are hiring. Moreover, it is believed that job hunters lose an average of £4,000 a year when applying for jobs.
To ensure you don’t become a statistic in job scams. You need to ensure you educate yourself on the different types of job scams that exist when applying. Let’s look at some of the most common job scams to help you not become a victim.
Advance Fee Fraud
The first common job-hunting scam is advance fee fraud and it can happen in a variety of ways. With job scams, this is when a scammer reaches out to you saying that they have seen your CV. It is common as it is something many recruiters do to try and find you a job. However, in this scenario, this is not the case. Once you have spoken to them, they will go through the interview process, offering you a job; however, it requires screening checks (which are normal with many companies). Once you have accepted the job and confirmed you are right for the position, they will ask for an admin fee. Whatever you do, do not pay for the admin fee that they are asking for.
We advise you don’t part with any of your money as there is no need to. Employers will only pay the fees to a recruitment agency. Sometimes, they will look to charge you because your CV needs to be updated.
Phishing Scams
Phishing scams are one of the most common scams in the digital world. It takes thousands of victims every day because people don’t know when and where to spot them. When looking for a job, a phishing scam will aim to steal personal and private information that they can use to access your accounts and steal your money. They will also use this information to create a false identity of themselves.
There are other types of phishing scams as well. The most common one is through your email. It will trick you into entering your details into a form which you were sent. The email may consist of a fake website where they can steal your information through this. The email could also consist of a download. Once you have downloaded the file, it will install malware on your computer. It will then go through your computer before stealing details for bank accounts and other personal accounts.
To avoid this, ensure you don’t click on these emails asking for your details. Also, don’t download any files without checking who the sender is. Proofread everything before entering your details and that way, you can stay away from those phishing scams.
Premium Rate Phone Scams
These are another common scam amongst job seekers however, these are more difficult to avoid. Most jobs will ask you for an interview before accepting you for the role. Some of them will even interview on the phone instead of coming to meet. Although this is rare, it can occur. However, you must also be wary of phone scams for this part. It is when the scammer will keep you on hold during the interview. You will then be charged a premium rate for your mobile phone.
How do you avoid a premium phone rate scam?
Before accepting any phone call interview, make sure you ask yourself these four questions.
Question One: Is Everything Professional?
A company reaching out to you will want to ensure they are professional. That includes correct spelling and grammar and professional emails. If there is an email with a few mistakes inside the email, this should raise alarm bells. You should also ensure it is not from a webmail account and has an official domain email.
Nevertheless, there are scammers out there who are really intelligent. Before they ring you, they will have a domain of a company with one slight difference which may be difficult to spot. Make sure you double-check everything before accepting a phone call from them.
Question Two: Does Everything Add Up?
Before you enter details and accept phone calls, ask yourself whether everything adds up. If you have been approached by a company or seen a job advert from a non-official website, check the company’s website to see if they are advertising for a job. If you cannot find the job on their website, give them a call. If they say they are not currently looking for anyone then you know it isn’t legit.
Another thing to ensure is double-checking the address and phone number details. To do this, check on a company registration website. We also advise you to put their address on Google Street View to see if it is at the correct place.
Question Three: Is The Behaviour Of The Individual Professional
There is a consistent pattern with job offers and it goes like this. Contact is made to the company or you, once they see if you are fit, they will arrange a meeting with you. It will either be in-person or arrange a video call. Phone interviews are rare. Once you have had an interview and have been successful, a reference check will be required. Once everything is complete, you will then receive a job offer.
If you are offered a job without an interview or relevant experience and asked for a phone call meeting, it is unlikely that it is genuine.
Another thing to be wary of when looking for jobs is a company that has offered you more than the average salary. If it seems too good to be true, it likely is. Most of the time, agencies will contact you during working hours. If they want to contact you after working hours, you know something isn’t right.
Don’t Reveal Too Much On Your CV
Another common mistake from job seekers is revealing too much information on your CV. Make sure to limit your CV with the information you show. We also advise you don’t include your date of birth, where you were born and your address. All of this information can be used by a scammer.
To Conclude
When looking for jobs, there are many different types of scams that you must be wary of. If you don’t be cautious, you will easily fall for them and therefore will lose a lot of money.
The problem with the world we live in is that we rely on technology. That makes it a lot easier to retrieve our details. Whether it is a broker scam, landlord scam, phishing scam, or even a job seeker scam, you must always be cautious. If there is anything that doesn’t feel right, it is unlikely that it is.
