How to avoid job scams and frauds during your job hunt?

When searching for new job opportunities, you need to be on the watch for potential scams. The best way to protect yourself is by staying alert and informed. Fraudsters often masquerade as employers, recruitment consultants or headhunters, attempting to exploit job seekers. In this guide, we'll explain how you can keep your job hunt secure and identify the warning signs of job scams. 

How to spot the warning signs in a job scam? 

Impersonation scams: con artists will often pretend to be associates of companies or recruiters using personal email accounts. They will often ask job applicants for a vetting fee. 

Vague or ambiguous job posting: genuine job adverts are explicit about the position and prerequisites and provide comprehensive descriptions. If a post lacks specifics or requests interviews on messaging applications such as WhatsApp, it's best to steer clear of it. 

Inflated salaries: genuine job offers are in line with industry norms. Offers with unbelievably high pay for little effort or work are usually scams. 

Pressure to act quickly: fraudulent offers will urge you to make a decision promptly. Genuine and legitimate businesses will allow time for careful consideration. If there's intense pressure to make a decision straight away, pause and confirm the job specifics. 

Advance money requests: no genuine employer will ask you for money in advance, particularly for things such as training, equipment, or 'other charges' before you have been hired. If someone asks you to pay for training, equipment or other charges before you have been hired, that's a red flag.  

Phishing emails: fraudsters utilise email addresses with slight misspellings to trick you into thinking it’s a legitimate company. They will also invite you to interviews via personal accounts rather than company platforms. 

How to ensure safe and secure communication?

If you start to receive messages from Telegram, WhatsApp, or similar messaging platforms claiming to be from a recruiter or a company, don't engage. Always ensure that communications are coming from an official email domain before replying. If we need to get in touch with you, we will only contact you via our official Zety email address.

What to do if you suspect a scam?

Staying safe whilst job hunting means taking the time to verify each step. Always verify the origin of any job opportunity. A careful approach will help you navigate your job hunt confidently. If you believe you have come across a job scam, report the fraudulent activity to the consumer protection agency and your local police force. Protect your accounts, by not sharing personal information too soon. Inform your bank if you have shared financial information with the fraudster and closely monitor your account for unknown or unauthorised activity.