What is a recruitment scam?
A scam is typically when a person attempts to steal financial personal information. A recruitment scam is when someone tries to get you to apply for a job that doesn’t exist, and then takes the financial information you provide after you get the so-called “job.”
Where will these scams pop up?
These scams can be sent via text messages, email or even through websites like Indeed. Make sure that you always research a company before attending an interview or providing any information.
How can I be sure that it is a scam?
Check for the following:
- Are you being asked to buy equipment that you’ll be reimbursed for later? If they are telling you to supply bank information for the purchase, be careful.
- Did you submit an application to their website or another official job website? If not, proceed with caution.
- Is the job being offered on the real company’s page? Double check.
- If the email you’ve received is from a free account like Gmail, Yahoo, or Hotmail then it might not be legitimate.
- Are they asking for important government documents like your passport or Social Insurance Number? If they are, be careful. Companies won’t typically ask for this until later on.
- Are you being asked to pay to get hired? If yes, it’s not real.
- Are they asking for your credit card or bank information? They shouldn’t need that before you’re hired.
- Were you hired before an interview? Most companies will want to meet you.
How do I avoid a recruitment scam?
Firstly, never respond to a text message asking you to apply for a job or telling you that a company has a job opening. It is unlikely that a company will reach out to your phone number.
Secondly, be cautious when opening emails that advertise a job opening. If you haven’t submitted an application, it might not be a real position. Be sure to double check the email it was sent from.
Thirdly, do your research. If you do receive an email that seems real, search the company’s website for the position before you do anything else.
Finally, always be careful when clicking on links that advertise easy applications. If you ever have any questions about an opportunity you’ve been contacted about, please contact us immediately.
