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7 Scams Job Seekers Should Be Aware Of

The modern world is full of potential encounters with scammers who would like nothing better than to steal our personal information and our money.

Sadly, this stretches to the world of the job seeker.

Looking for a job can be stressful, and there are criminals out there looking to take advantage of you as you look for a new career.

READ MORE: How To Look For Jobs Online

Here are seven scams job seekers need to be aware of.

Fake Job Listings

Scammers post fake job listings on legitimate job sites, often using real company names to make the scam seem authentic.

Once a job seeker applies, they may be asked for personal information or to pay a fee for background checks or training materials.

Work-from-Home Scams

Many people are attracted to the idea of working from home.

Scammers exploit this by advertising work-from-home jobs that promise high earnings with little effort.

These jobs could range from reshipping products to selling items to acquaintances.

However, instead of earning money, victims often end up paying for starter kits, training, or certifications that are worthless.

Additionally, they might find unauthorized charges on their credit cards or become victims of fake check scams.

Overpayment Scams

In this scam, the “employer” sends the job seeker a check as an advance payment.

The job seeker is then instructed to deposit the check and send a portion of it back to the employer or to another entity.

Eventually, the check bounces, and the job seeker is left owing the bank the full amount.

Recruitment for Nonexistent Jobs

Scammers might claim to be recruiters and charge job seekers a fee to be considered for a job that doesn’t exist.

Identity Theft

Scammers posing as employers or recruiters might ask job seekers for sensitive personal information, leading to identity theft.

Vague Job Requirements and Job Descriptions

Scammers use vague job descriptions to attract a wide range of applicants.

These jobs often have requirements that are too good to be true, such as high pay for minimal work or no experience necessary.

READ MORE: How To Cope If You Can’t Find Your First Job

Unsolicited Job Offers

Scammers might reach out to job seekers with unsolicited job offers, often for positions they didn’t apply for.

These offers are usually too good to be true.

“Misery to people looking for work”

“With the increase in remote job opportunities since the pandemic and the advance of technology making a lot of hiring virtual, it is increasingly easy for fraudsters to fool job seekers.

Keith Rosser, Chair of JobsAware, said:”Job scams continue to bring misery to people looking for work.

“In a recent JobsAware survey, 74 percent of jobseekers reported applying for at least one job they suspected did not exist.”

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