If you fall for a job scam, you could have your money or identity stolen.
Its even possible that youll be unwittingly implicated in a criminal enterprise.
Additionally, criminals also use social media and job sites to initiate their scams.
Fake job scams can be initiated in a number of ways.
You might get an email promising work or respond to a posting on a job site like Indeed.
Some less subtle scammers send out text messages en masse hoping to rope people in.
In addition to diverse delivery methods, these scams also take on a variety of forms.
Ill go over various scams based on the end goal of the scammers.
But if you provide your details, theyll be handed over to the scammers.
In the world of job scams, some criminals include phishing links in their fake job emails and listings.
But its also common for them to spring the trap later.
These block phishing scams by preventing you from visiting malicious websites.
Theres even a tool that assesses every message landing in your mailbox for various risks.
The invoice could be fake, but some scammers genuinely overpay victims when moving money using services like PayPal.
This means that any extra money sent back will be stolen.
Be very suspicious if a company overpays you.
Mistakes do happen, but this scam is also very common.
Dont send any money back.
Ask to reach out to the HR department and suggest that any excess compensation be deducted from future paychecks.
If the company is legitimate, it is likely to accept this as a viable solution.
This may sound ridiculous, but scammers can be subtle.
In a money mule scheme, any funds youre asked to move will be connected to crime.
You could end up implicated in serious fraud.
Moreover, participants are often set up to be the fall guy when law enforcement closes in.
Be wary of emails and job postings describing work that involves handling mail or moving money around.
Statistically, the vast majority of people involved lose money.
Unlike the job offer scams covered above, MLMs arent illegal.
So while I cant call these scams, I recommend you avoid engaging with anyone promoting jobs at MLMs.
There are exceptions, of course.
Workers with in-demand qualifications and lots of experience do sometimes get contacted with legitimate offers out of the blue.
If youre such a person, you still need to be cautious.
Recruiters are more likely to use LinkedIn rather than email, but evenLinkedIn has its share of scammers.
In any case, real offers will never come in the form of unsolicited texts or phone calls.
These can effectively immunize you from some (but not all) types of job scams.
Top antiviruses like Norton andBitdefenderalso come bundled with VPNs.
Finally, the best antiviruses come with dark web monitoring and identity protection tools.
It also provides up to $1 million in anti-theft insurance and credit monitoring.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it normal for a job to ask for money up-front?
Now, there are some jobs that require you to own some basic tools.
How can I tell a fake job offer from a real one?
By scrutinizing it for red flags.
Theres no singular way to avoid all fake job scams.
It helps to familiarize yourself with the manydifferent methodsscammers use to execute this bang out of scam.
If the offer looks too good to be true, it probably is.
Scammers will also use generic job titles and request information or payment upfront.
If a company is forcing you to send money to secure your position, its definitely fake.
There are otherred flagswhich youll want to review so you’re free to look out for them.
What can happen to me if I fall for a fake job offer scam?
The consequences range in severity from having some money stolen from you to having your identity stolen.
At the very worst, it could even land you in jail for crimes you didnt commit.
If you think youve fallen for a fake job offer scam, you need toact quickly to protect yourself.
What should I do if I find a fake job offer scam?
Reporting the page will cause Indeed to review it and take it down if its a scam.
