The 1 Thing Employers Don't Want You To Know - Insidious Job Scams Are On The Rise

In a tighter job market more people may be willing to overlook fraud warning signs because they are so eager to find their next position This may lead to a fall into the trap of scammers who are waiting to exploit desperate job seekers Scammers are getting more creative and convincing and are using various tactics to trick victims into giving up their personal information or money

Avoiding job scams requires a high degree of vigilance and some knowledge of their tactics Here are some common red flags to watch out for when job searching

1. Check the legitimacy of the company Research the company thoroughly and find out if they have a physical presence Try to check their website and other online platforms to see if they have contact information that matches the job posting Be cautious of companies that list only a PO box as their physical address Job postings on legitimate job boards or company websites are safer than those on social media platforms or emails
2. Be wary of job postings that do not indicate the company and contact person Job postings from recruiters or staffing agencies that recruit candidates on behalf of companies may be legitimate but they should clearly state the name of the company
3. Be suspicious of job postings that ask for personal financial information Even if the job is for accounting or finance positions there is no need to provide your credit card or bank information Real companies will not ask you to send money to cover training or expenses
4. If a job posting sounds too good to be true it may be Assume that real jobs do not offer unusually high pay for little work or no experience Be cautious of postings that guarantee any pay at all
5. Watch out for follow-up instructions to sign a contract or get hired These can be PDFs or email forms that may be loaded with malware or other risks Never download files from unknown sources If it is necessary to open email attachments they should be zip files or text files rather than executable files For interview invitations verify if it is coming from an officer or owner

Avoid job search companies or companies that are not transparent Some companies that do charge a fee may offer guarantees or promise results Be wary of companies that do not offer any kind of job training other than collecting your money

Desperate people are more likely to fall into job scams and put themselves and their families at risk Many scam tactics may be successful and it is essential to avoid these