How to Spot an Employment Scam
Chances are if you are reading this blog you’re utilizing the Internet in your job search. While online job networks are an amazing resource to efficiently search for jobs you are qualified for, as well as to apply for them, you need to remember to be on the lookout for employment scams.
Be aware that there are scammers are looking to make a profit off of your job search are not confined to just online, you can find these low-lifes preying on job seekers in print publications such as classified ads and flyers.
The best way not to fall victim to these scams is to familiarize yourself with them. One of the most common methods scammers use associated with job hunting involves having the victim make a deposit on their behalf. These “job descriptions” will usually involve posting an advertisement or writing an article that favorably mentions a certain product or company . The victim is then told that the initial deposit is for “materials”, “job training” or some type of application “processing fee”. More recently the scam has evolved to where the company will initially send the victim a check and tell them to deposit it into their bank account and purchase something with the money, usually “advertising space”. They will give excuses as to why they can’t purchase the ad space themselves such as living in a different country. The scam here is that the check is invalid and will end up bouncing after the victim has spent the money. This not only hurts financially it can also have longer lasting scars such as diminished credit ratings. Anytime a payment is involved up front take it as a red flag and remove yourself from the situation.
Sometimes when the bogus check arrives the victim will then be told to do something completely different than what was originally agreed upon such as getting a money order from a post office (post office money orders cannot be tracked or refunded). Anytime the exchange of money is involved you are dealing with a scammer.
Another mainstream scam that can be particularly brutal to ones personal life are “fake jobs”. This scam is a little more tricky and works because the victim thinks they’ve been hired for a job that doesn’t really exist. The “employer” will set up some sort of mock interview and explain that the victim has been hired and the next step is to fill out the necessary “legal” forms. These forms will require the victim to put down their bank account number for a direct deposit, one the scammer has this information they likely never be heard from again, and if the victim handed over enough information they could sucessfully steal your identity.
Using common sense and always exerting your best judgment while not being impulsive is a great way to avoid falling for these scams. The old saying “If it sounds to good to be true, then it is” applies to these situations. It’s unfortunate that there are those who feed off of others but the fact is that they do exist and we want all of our users to not only be aware of these scams but to immediately report them to us if one happens to get through on ResumeBucket.com. We screen every employer and job posting that gets listed on our site but we are human and sometimes a clever one can even make it past us. Contact support@resumebucket.com if you suspect something of being a fishy, and put “SCAM” in the title so we can investigate it immediately.