We all know that every site on the internet is a target for possible scammers! The best way to stay safe is to learn their patterns, and spot them quickly! Knowing what job listings to avoid because of common themes used by those with malicious intent, can keep you, your bank account, your social media profiles, and your technology much safer!
These 12 Tips Can Help You Today!
Assume you may fall for a scam. Remain vigilant, it could happen to any of us, even younger users who feel tech savvy!
Check that they are using an official company website and have an online presence! You can also search for the job on their official website, to confirm it is a real listing!
Look in the email or website for signs of false representation. Are names misspelled, logos out of place, or does the job seem vague and too good to be true?
Check for reviews of the job or business online! Even a notoriously difficult or specific job will have some solid reviews, and likely have salary information listed on other sites as well. Compare what you learn from previous employees to what you see in the ad!
Read more about the company on the Better Business Bureau website! They have a scam tracker that can help, will have graded a company on its trustworthiness, and will show reviews also.
Remain skeptical of requests to provide sensitive personal data before onboarding! Make sure to verify the company’s authenticity FIRST and even then, don’t provide your information before officially being hired. Even for required background checks, you can often limit what you share to the last four digits of your Social Security number.
Most reputable companies have email addresses that feature some version of the company name after the @ symbol. If you see gmail, hotmail, yahoo or other email systems, be extra cautious!
Any job that expresses extreme urgency could be a scam. They are attempting to play on emotion to encourage you to disregard questions you may have!
They have a poor quality job ad! Look for mistakes like misspellings, and other grammatical errors. If an ad is too vague, it can be clear that they are trying to widen their pool to include as many targets as possible.
Any Monetary Transactions during the application process! It’s a huge red flag for companies to want you to pay for equipment or cash any checks, and doing so would likely create issues with your bank that could take months to resolve!
Contact initiated by them! It is unlikely that someone from a company will reach out to you directly, and offer you a position. If you are getting texts or suspicious emails, be careful!
Trust your gut! If a job posting gives you an uncomfortable feeling or something doesn’t feel right about it, beware!
I hope these tips can help you stay safe on your #jobsearch! By staying aware of common trends, you’ll be many steps ahead of the scammers out there!
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