How To Avoid Job Scammers

Scammers try to gain the trust of their victims by posing as members of well-known companies.

“You have been selected for a work-from-home offer” or “you have been chosen for an online job”. An increase in this type of message with false job promises has been reported circulating on WhatsApp, Telegram, and SMS. 

A job is promised, with good conditions and interesting money, but it is only a hook to obtain money and personal information from the victims.

If the victim falls for this type of deception, they contact the alleged recruiter, who's a scammer, and begin an exchange of details.

Do not share personal data by email, phone, or text message.

Never share your personal information, such as your credit card number, identification, security codes, or tax identification number. 

 

A lot of people would like to work from home and generate income. Scammers know this, so they post ads, often online, claiming they have jobs where you can earn thousands of dollars a month working from home with little time and effort.

The job could be anything from reshipping products to selling things to your community. 

Sometimes scammers try to attract your interest by saying that you can become your own boss, start your own business or set your own hours.

Scammers will start asking victims for money to obtain supposed training certificates or starter kits at work. With the data obtained, then the scammers usually charge expenses to the victim's credit cards, and the victim is trapped in a hoax that only causes them to lose money.

Most scammers use this type of deception which is known as "recruitment fraud". In this sense, they explain that sometimes scammers not only obtain money from their victims but with personal data they can open bank accounts and carry out other types of scams.

As they explain on their official site, “ victims are tricked into sending personal data and transferring money for supposed administrative expenses. It is feared that, with the data provided, accounts will be opened in electronic banks where the money from different fraudulent maneuvers is received.

How To Spot Fake Job Offers

Let us remember that the pandemic forced many to change jobs and forced others to reinvent themselves. 

That is why many people blindly believe in a notice that comes to them through a WhatsApp contact.

Make sure that your job searches are safe and a fraud-free experience. 

In the wake of an increasing number of instances of fake job offers, please be cautious against fraudulent emails and calls. 

 

How can you determine if a Job Offer is Scam?

1. Asking for money (mostly refundable)

2. Asking for confidential information like Credit Card/Aadhar/PAN etc.

3. Badly written job description

4. Offering easy hiring criteria and on-the-spot offers

5. Luring with a salary beyond expectation

6. Using names of known job portals or fake domains to contact you.

7. Please do not pay money to get a job or share your credit/debit card details, bank information, CVV number, or OTP with anyone.

If you’ve received (or receive) any such fraudulent offers from any recruiter on such job sites, please "REPORT IMPOSTERS" to the Admin of the job sites

How To Be Safe On Linkedin Job Offers

Any of us can be a victim of a scam, regardless of the amount of information to which we have access. Being aware of this is, in fact, the first step in staying safe from scammers, whether on LinkedIn or elsewhere.

There are some important rules to follow:

Be cautious on LinkedIn, just like you would be on any other social media platform.

If you receive an email that appears to be from LinkedIn, but you're not sure if it's legitimate or not, don't click any links. Instead, log in to LinkedIn from the official page and check the notifications.

Be wary of contact requests from people you don't know. If someone you don't know contacts you, don't click any links. Instead, do a Google search first to find out more about the employer and how reliable that connection is. Ask yourself “how did this person find me? Why are you contacting me?"

Make sure that your LinkedIn account privacy settings only show the necessary information to people who are not part of our contacts. For example, you may want others to see your work experience and education, but not necessarily your phone number. 

 

Use a strong and unique password or passphrase.

Activate two-step verification, also known as two-factor authentication or 2FA. This will be useful if someone else gets hold of your login credentials, as it will make it much more difficult for the attacker to access your account even if they have your credentials.

Never provide personal information such as your ID number or credit card. Potential employers do not ask for your bank details or deposit your salary using your login credentials.

Please note that actual job postings comply with country and tax laws. Easy money tends to be a scam.

Beware of unsolicited offers for financial services or investments through connections you don't know. Today, virtually anyone can set up a website that looks attractive and trustworthy.

Always report a scam to LinkedIn.

Fake Job Offers On LinkedIn

Fake job offers on LinkedIn have a way to steal login credentials is through alleged high-paying “job offers” that require only a direct message to apply. When you arrive unexpectedly, we may be tempted to ask for more information. This will lead the fake recruiter to reply with a message in which he can request payment of a fee in advance, possibly for training, or ask the data subject to submit personal information through, for example, a Google Form. . Although the offer sounds a bit strange, the victim may think that there is nothing to lose, but they are wrong. 

 

These offers often ask for additional personal information on first contact, even if this information was provided on your LinkedIn profile and resume, such as your name, age of residence, and contact details. In these situations, we always recommend confirming that the company you are applying to really exists and doing a quick Google search to verify it. And just like we put a lot of effort into writing and submitting a good resume, employers tend to pay attention to the job description they post, so if you notice grammatical errors or any conflicting information in these job communications, it may that you are facing a deception. Also, remember that no company is going to offer you money or ask for your bank details at the first contact.

It is worth mentioning that the scope of a fake job offer goes beyond stealing money or credentials from the victim. We have seen examples of sophisticated spy groups using fake job postings on LinkedIn to gain initial compromise to an organization to trick insiders and ultimately convince them to download a malware-infected file.

LinkedIn Scams: Beware of Fake Job Offers

Looking for a job is hard work, it's kind of a full-time job in itself. It takes concentration and patience to jump from one job offer to another and fill out endless forms, perhaps to the point of causing emotional distress, even with no real job offer in sight.

Platforms like LinkedIn seek to alleviate this more onerous task, making it easier for job seekers to keep up with new offerings and get closer to getting their foot in the door of their dream company. For their part, recruiters find it easier to find the best candidates, among other benefits. 

 

But partly because this is such an immersive process, especially for the unemployed, many people can also fall victim to scams. Without a doubt, all social media platforms are breeding grounds for fraud. However, one thing that makes LinkedIn special is its public perception as a safe place, a professional environment where we can let our guard down.

Unfortunately, the reality is not so favorable, much less in these times in which phenomena such as what was called the Great Renunciation are observed. LinkedIn phishing scams continue to thrive and have actually skyrocketed in recent months. While some scammers can be very successful with very simple, old-fashioned tricks, such as asking for your bank details or advance payment in exchange for a seemingly legitimate job interview, others can be very sophisticated.

Let's look at some examples of some of the most common scams that take advantage of LinkedIn.