Don't Fall for These Job Scams

Nancy Anderson
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The ability to perform an online job search is a huge benefit to job seekers, saving them time and effort, but the Internet is also a breeding ground for job scams. When you're on the job hunt, beware of these eight common online job scams.

1. Copycat Companies

Watch out for companies that have a name or logo that closely matches a more reputable employer. Some job scammers even use the actual name of a large organization. Do some research on the recruiter and the company before making a move.

2. Vague Job Descriptions

If a job posting lists requirements and skills that are vague and apply to nearly everyone without the need for education, training or work experience, it may be a job scam. Don't provide any personal information until you get more specific details about the position.

3. Trial Employment Period

If a recruiter tells you that you're one of a few selected candidates and asks you to participate in a two- or three-week trial employment period, be leery. Many job scammers use this tactic to collect your personal details and then disappear.

4. Employment Agencies

Some less-than-reputable employment agencies post ads with fake jobs that sound very appealing just to collect information from hopeful job seekers. These agencies often use a bait-and-switch approach, offering a less-enticing position after they have your personal details.

5. Unknown Recruiter

Be skeptical about any unsolicited job offers you receive, whether through email, LinkedIn, Twitter or other means. Research the recruiter using Google and social media before you respond to the offer.

6. Secret Job Lists

Don't fall for job postings that offer to sell you a "secret" job list for federal government positions or U.S. Postal Service jobs. These types of jobs are free to search for and apply online; anyone charging a fee for this information is a scammer.

7. Work From Home

There are a lot of really good work from home opportunities posted on the internet.  Unfortunately, there are also potentially bad ones that job seekers will come across while looking for their next opportunity.  You should always be extremely cautious when finding a work from home position that requires you to pay a start-up fee or purchase instructions.  Little or no income will be generated through these positions.

8. Background Checks

If a recruiter claims the company needs you to pay for a credit report or background check before hiring you, don't fall for it. These scammers are only out for your money and personal information.

When you're already desperate to find a job, the last thing you want is to be taken advantage of by online scammers. During an online job search, pay close attention to the details of the posting. If a job sounds too good to be true, proceed cautiously, as it may be a job scam. Never provide personal details, such as your Social Security number or bank account information, to someone you haven't met.

 
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  • Nancy Anderson
    Nancy Anderson •

    Thanks for the comments. There are SO many scams out there that you really must do your due diligence. @William thanks for the suggestion to contact the company by phone - or at least to ascertain that they are a real valid company. Ripoff Report certainly is one way to find out if they are legit. And know that anytime a company has to say - we have "legitimate" jobs - run! If the job is legit, why do you have to say that? It is tempting to just throw caution to the wind and apply - hoping that it is a real job. @Hema do not give any of your information out. Companies can do a search for you and find out your address and phone number as these are part of public records. Think you are not out there? Check on a site like Spokeo and you may be surprised. NEVER give out your social security number, date of birth or any other information that the scammers might use against you. Just proceed with caution on anything that looks fishy and, again, always do your due diligence before applying.

  • William Browning
    William Browning •

    In my experience, I always try to contact the company by phone before I give anyone my information or fill out a form. If the person on the other end can't answer my questions, it's time to move on. You might also check to see if the company has social media accounts or if someone left comments on Ripoff Report. A little due diligence and research goes a long way.

  • Hema Zahid
    Hema Zahid •

    What happens if someone applies to one of these shady jobs and then realizes their mistake? Even though these tips will help me be extra careful, it is possible that I might end up falling for one of these scams. Are there any steps I can take afterwards to protect my personal data?

  • Katharine M.
    Katharine M. •

    When your job search has been dragging on, it can be so tempting to respond to shady job postings because you're getting desperate- so thanks for these tips. Years ago I responded to a posting that I actually got through my college, that was also a scam. It was a writing job and after I interviewed, I was asked to write a long writing sample that contained the same content that I'd be writing if I were to get the job. It seemed pretty clear they were just going to use my writing sample, which I would have provided for free, and not actually hire or pay me (or anyone). So many scams out there.

  • Nancy Anderson
    Nancy Anderson •

    Thanks for the comments. If the posting has bad grammar o misspelled words, walk away. It may not be a scam but you have to ask yourself if you want to work for a company that didn't even bother to proofread the job posting. You do have to look closely at the job posting and do some research. Try a search on the internet and see if anything comes up. If I see a job posting that looks funky, I move on. And never ever give any of these sites money. So it's only $39.95 for the packet that will get you started! Run! @Toni if you send your contact information to Nancya@beyond.com, I will certainly take a look at your account. The bottom line to all of these postings is just to use common sense. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

  • Lorri Cotton
    Lorri Cotton •

    Jacob T., I always take a pause, when the proposal that I'm looking at has bad grammar, and especially misspellings. I just always go through a service that has really good reviews, and that guarantees your pay.

  • Toni E.
    Toni E. •

    Hi I sent my resume in to be re- written I paid 99.00 dollars they promised me it would be ready how ever it's taking some time what is your opinion regarding these matters

  • Shannon Philpott
    Shannon Philpott •

    I think that you also have to look closely at where the job is advertised to determine if it is a scam. While I agree that asking a candidate to pay an upfront fee is definitely shady, not all positions that require a trial employment period are scams. I've been asked to complete test projects or participate in online training modules as a trial employee and have acquired some great opportunities with companies as a result of participating.

  • Jacob T.
    Jacob T. •

    Are grammar and spelling mistakes in the job posting typically indicate a scam? Is it acceptable to remove information from your resume if you think it may be a scam, such as a phone number or street address? When it is difficult to tell, and the opportunity is a good one, does that help to mitigate the risk at all?

  • BERNARD STEWART
    BERNARD STEWART •

    THANKS

  • Dana A.
    Dana A. •

    I absolutely love all this information! Thank You!

  • Margaret W.
    Margaret W. •

    Thanks it just didn't seem right to me as well to be asked to fill out a W9 form before there was an actual job offer. All other job recruiters that I've had contact with either I've had Skype interviews with or they actually had me come into the office to meet with them before they submitted my resume to any open positions they had to not to even request to meet me via Skype or in person just doesn't feel right. I'm not going to fill out this form until there's an actual job offer and even then I'm going to do some serious research on this firm and the recruiter before I give them any of my personal information. Thanks for the feedback, I really appreciate it.

  • Nancy Anderson
    Nancy Anderson •

    @Deborah thanks for your comment and great advice. However, we have found that many companies do not want their name out there. They feel that if you are interested in the position that you will apply and then, if you are one of those chosen to be interviewed, they will reveal their name. We have hundreds of job seekers who use "confidential" as their name on their accounts because they don't want their current employer to see them looking or they just don't want their name out there. So don't totally discount a job just because the company has not identified itself. Just don't give them any personal information that would not otherwise be able to find on the Internet. Things such as birth date, social security number, etc. Best of luck to you on your job search.

  • Deborah S.
    Deborah S. •

    I would also be careful of ads that don't have the company name. There are many ads like that here in Canada. It may be they don't want people to contact them directly, but be careful. Personally, I would not apply to a company I don't know the name of.

  • Nancy Anderson
    Nancy Anderson •

    @Margaret thanks for your comment and questions. It truly is difficult sometimes to find out whether a company is actually legit. Personally I would never fill out any forms until I did my true due diligence. Do some extensive research on the company. Check them on other sites. Do they have a LinkedIn account? What about Facebook? Check for complaints against the company, too. They could be legit but I would let them know that until/unless they offer you an actual job, you are NOT filling out anything - especially a W9 that would include your social security number. If they are truly legitimate, they will understand. If they come back and say that they need the W9 filled out to proceed, cut the cord! Once they have your social security number, that would be identity theft and they can find out anything about you and really cause you financial difficulties if they get into any of your banking or credit card accounts. Hope this helps. There are plenty of actual legitimate positions out there. Oh - and if they use the word "legit" or some form of that in their posting - RUN!

  • Margaret W.
    Margaret W. •

    When you say don't give out any personal information you mean like financial information such as social security number, bank account number stuff like that not anything that's already on your resume correct? I have a what is supposedly a legit company asked me to fill out a w-9 form so they can put me in their system but they don't have an actual job for me yet and I don't think it's something I should do I've never heard of something like that before without even meeting me in person or having an actual job position for me yet. I did check out the company but there's no way to tell if they are spoofing this company, they could just be pretending to be this actual company I mean how do you confirm something like that?

  • joseph h.
    joseph h. •

    I wished I saw this before giving my ssn away on an application. This is Sarah (Joseph's wife) There was work at home job offer that says it was two weeks trial, and sent me an application. Her boss was supposed to call me a couple months ago but never did. Joseph is looking for a good paying job. I'm still working part time at a fast food restaurant and I also have an online work from home business that I do. I do ok with that, but need to work harder with that too.

  • Nancy Anderson
    Nancy Anderson •

    @Thalia you need to do your due diligence. Do a search for the company and see if you can find any complaints about it. Check them out on LinkedIn or even Glassdoor. Read through the posting carefully. Are you seeing misspelled words? Are they identifying who they are? Are they requesting personal information right from the start? Does it sound too good to be true? Seriously, can you really earn $1000/wk by processing data? Not likely! Are they indicating that you can make even more money just by bringing in your family and friends? That's typically an MLM - multilevel marketing scheme. Do you have to purchase something? Run. What about shipping/receiving inventory clerk? That's a pretty popular scam. So, bottom line is that you need to research them first. If you find any of these things on the posting - it's a scam. Hope this helps.

  • Thalia Moshos
    Thalia Moshos •

    So how can you tell when a job offer isn't a scam ? Any tips ?

  • Nancy Anderson
    Nancy Anderson •

    @Diana thank you for your comment. So sorry that you got scammed by these companies but thanks for letting us know so that no one else gets scammed. It is such a shame that companies do this because they can smell desperation a mile away. So many of us looking for jobs that we are willing to overlook something that looks a bit fishy in hopes that it's a real job. I take it that you had to give them personal information such as social security number? Keep a close eye on your bank accounts, credit card accounts, etc. You might want to consider investing in Lifelock or one of the other companies that protects against fraud.

  • Diana Foraci
    Diana Foraci •

    I worked for these 3 companies, express (xpshopserv.com),highrock quality management and worlddpt.com(worldwide product transferring inc. I NEVER GOT PAID, DON'T WORK FOR THEM

  • Nancy Anderson
    Nancy Anderson •

    @Glenda K thank goodness that you didn't fall for it. So sad that we hear from job seekers all of the time who did fall for the scam and are out thousands of dollars. My daughter almost got suckered into one of these. They sent her a check to purchase the equipment that she would need. It was a check for almost $4000 but you could see, just looking at it, that it was fake. She turned it over to the police. This was a posting from Dice.com - a very reputable job board. So you never know. These scammers try to sneak in through RSS feeds or any other way that they can. And remember, if the position is real, they won't use the word "legitimate". Good luck in your search for a true position!

  • Nancy Anderson
    Nancy Anderson •

    @Felicia B thanks for your email. It is unfortunate when employers act without regard for the person. I would be a bit apprehensive about proceeding even if he did call back. Is this the type of company you want to work for? I know that you were very excited about this possibility but honestly it's for the best. I agree with @David L that you should call his supervisor and give him an earful and then move on. There are many sites where you can report his behavior so as to warn others to stay away. Thank goodness that you didn't offer him any personal information! There is a real job out there for you - so never give up hope.

  • David L.
    David L. •

    @ FELICIA B.
    Call his BOSS!
    He really liked the leads you so graciously provided him, so he's using your leads to enrich himself!

  • FELICIA B.
    FELICIA B. •

    A recruiter from Harvard Risk Management emailed me with a phone number to call for an interview. I called, we talked for nearly an hour. He said I would be great and offered me the new agent position on the spot. Told me he was sending a welcome email for a new agent position and would follow up with a phone call the next day at a SPECIFIC time. I never got the email or the phone call. Followed up 30 minutes after the call was to take place and nothing. About 2 weeks later I emailed him asking for the reason, told him my curiosity was killing me and to please respond. It's been 3 days and he has not responded. I have NO idea why. I did give him a forecast of huge leads I was going to use for my first sales but no extremely personal information like SS# or birthdate. I am still stumped.

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