Searching for a job is hard. Job seekers anxiously wait for a phone call or an interview, hoping that their next contact is going to turn into a good offer. What makes it more difficult is when that promising job posting is nothing but a scam. In the U.S. and Canada, 14 million people experience a job scam annually, at a loss of $2 billion.
As a volunteer with the AARP fraud watch helpline, I support people who have been victims of fraud, which increasingly includes employment scams. The tips below encourage caution in your job search.
Don’t email information for a background check. Even if the job isn’t a scam, this is simply bad practice. You need to protect your Social Security number. If there is a legitimate background check, it would come towards the end of the interview process, not at the beginning, and this should be done through a secure third-party site, indicated by an address that starts with https://, not http://.
Don’t interview on a chat app. Now that many of us are in remote roles, it’s not unusual for a company to request a video interview. This might happen over a platform such as Google Meet, Zoom, or Microsoft Teams. However, if all correspondence happens over a chat app, it is likely a scam.
Don’t pay for a job. If you’re asked to pay fees during the application process, don’t do it. Companies pay recruiters to find employees, not you. If you are offered a job where a background check is required, the company should pay for it. Also, don’t pay for software, credit reports, office supplies, resume reviews, etc. While there are legitimate companies that offer career coaching services, which might include a resume review, this is a service people choose to seek out, not something that’s part of a job application.
Don’t accept a quick offer. Back in the “good old days,” an offer might have come quickly. But now, employers often require multiple interviews, references and perhaps a background check. If you have a quick offer, this is a way for scammers to apply pressure on you to continue their “job process.” This often includes harmful links for gaining information used for identity theft. An offer that requires an immediate response also prevents you from doing your due diligence.
Do check the domain. A reputable company should be contacting you from an email address that matches their business. If you have a job request from a Gmail or Hotmail address, delete it. Do not even reply. Any engagement is encouragement for a scammer to find another way to prey on your search for employment.
Do pay attention to typos and poor grammar. We all make mistakes. A typo or grammatically incorrect sentence is not a deal-breaker. However, a scam will likely have multiple typos, misspellings and capitalization errors.
Do ask for help. Falling prey to a job scam doesn’t make you stupid. It makes you a victim. In addition to offering informal support locally, I volunteer with the AARP fraud watch helpline, which is free and open to people of all ages. If you are a victim of a job scam, you can call them at 877-908-3360 for support and advice.
My goal as a helpline volunteer — and in our community — is to support people recovering from a scam and help them avoid being a victim. A little caution goes a long way in staying safe online.
Tina Arnoldi is a volunteer, business consultant and 20+-year resident of Mount Pleasant. Fraud prevention question? Send to: hello@bekindcharleston.org
Help keep the City Paper free.
No paywalls.
No subscription cost.
Free delivery at 800 locations.
Help support independent journalism by donating today.