How to Detect and Avoid Fake Recruiter Scams
HR Tech Outlook Magazine is to help people to fight against scams. Today scam is on increase in every field of work. Scammers are always in search of opportunities to fool people. This article will help you more about scams. Read these to know more about these common job search scams as well as how to spot and avoid them.
Some scammers pretend to be recruiters to access your confidential information and even your bank account. Fake recruiter scams are an all-too-common occurrence.1
Job recruiter scams can be tough to spot since the perpetrators can be quite sophisticated in their tactics.
Often, they use data from original companies, resume details found online, and other information to make the jobs they offer sound convincing.
Some of these scam recruiters go so far as setting up fake profiles on LinkedIn. Or, they may have websites that show them as an independent recruiter.
For scammers, their end goal is always the same: theft. Sometimes, scammers try to misguide you for paying them cash as a fee for job processing. In other instances, they will attempt to steal a job applicant’s information (such as their social security number) for identity theft purposes or more details.
What is a Fake Recruiter Scam?
The scammer might send you emails, chat with you online, or make phone calls that set off your mind to think you’ve received a genuine job offer. Have you received an email or message from a recruiter who says you’re a perfect candidate for the job they are trying to fill? It could be legal, or it might be too good to be true.
With this type of job scams, these jobs often promise you to pay above the market salaries, and the recruiters don’t ask you for very much information about your skills or whether you’d be a good fit for the job. These scammers also typically act very eager to “close the deal,” using time pressure to get you to give them what they want.
How the Scammer Got Your Details
The scammer most likely got your details by posing as an employer on a job board and accessing your resume posted online. Or they could be randomly connecting with people on social media or posting job listings in Facebook or LinkedIn groups.
Warning Signs to Watch For
Learn to recognize some of the warning signs of these scams. For example, the fake recruiter will ask you for all of your social security number’s last four numbers, along with other personal details. Another tip-off is if the recruiter asks you to give your credit card number or check account details.
The scammers might also ask you to fill a simple form online to start the hiring process. They could even ask you to complete an application form, banking forms, and other documents that have employment terms and conditions.
Fake recruiters often share positions at Fortune 1000 companies, so the name recognition alone can lead you to believe the jobs are legal.
The recruiter will seem much more interested in getting you excited about the job and collecting your details than in determining whether your skills qualify you for the job.
Some may even offer you the job without so much as a phone interview. Recruiters may say that the job does not require any skills or experience, or the salary may be much higher than the typical salary for the role.
Genuine recruiters spend a lot of time making sure you’re the right fit for a company rather than giving you the hard sell to convince you to take a job.
How to Avoid Getting Scammed
Before you provide any personal details to a recruiter, check them out to make sure they are legal. For starters, check the person’s profile on LinkedIn, or view the company page for their employer.
If the recruiter’s LinkedIn profile has few connections or doesn’t have complete information, be on guard. Copy the recruiter’s photo and text from their LinkedIn profile, then paste it into Google and perform a search. Scammers often steal information from legitimate listings to create their fake profiles. Also, take note that recruiters don’t ever need your social security number.
Search the person’s name plus the word “scam” online to see if anyone’s posted any complaints. If you’re still not sure, ask for client references and check them out.
The Better Business Bureau and your state’s Attorney General’s Office can also be a source of information about scams, according to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).2
If someone says they’re working directly for a specific company, verify that this “company recruiter’s” email address matches the genuine company’s site email address, and call the company to confirm that they have an employee by the name of the person who’s contacting you.
Key Takeaways
BE SKEPTICAL.
If it sounds too good to be true, it may be. Getting a job offer without an interview is extremely unlikely — research recruiters before engaging with them.
YOU SHOULDN’T NEED TO PAY.
A legal job offer does not require you to pay before getting details.
DO NOT SHARE PERSONAL INFORMATION.
Some job recruiter scams seek to steal your identity. Do not share credit card or bank account details or provide your social security number.
