When you’re searching for a job, be aware that employment scams are a real thing! Among many consequences, these scams can involve financial loss and identity theft. Check out some common employment scams.

Payment in advance scams

The supposedly hiring company offers you a job opportunity, but first, you need to pay for something like a work laptop, phone, or home desk equipment. The scammer tells you that once you pay for these, they will send you all the equipment and the employment contract to start working with them. This is completely fake! Payment in advance scams can cost you a lot of money and be difficult to track or recover.

Fake job listings

Fake job listings are another employment scam that can be difficult to spot. These scams involve companies or individuals posting job listings that are not legitimate. These scams are intended to collect personal information from job seekers, such as social security numbers or bank details. Be on the lookout for poor translations, no activity on their website and a too-good-to-be-true salary. When you see a vacancy, always search for the official website or social media pages to see if it exists or to confirm whether the company is real!

Pyramid schemes

Also known as Multi-level Marketing (MLM), pyramid schemes involve a recruiter promising you a significant financial reward for recruiting other members or selling their products/ services. However, you’ll understand that what profits you make for bringing talent to the company, you would be required to pay a percentage of that to the person who initially recruited you. This will continue down the pyramid, resulting in a scenario where you eventually earn nothing.

Identity theft scams

Identity theft scams involve a company or an individual posing as a legitimate employer to collect personal information from job seekers. This information can then be used to commit other types of fraud, such as credit card fraud. It is essential to be cautious when providing personal information to potential employers and to research the company before applying for a job.

At some point, we all search for our dream job. We’d also be willing to skim through social media channels such as LinkedIn to see all the possible job listings. Don’t worry. Your dream job will come. While you’re getting there, make sure to be patient, stay aware, and keep your eyes out for potentially fraudulent activities.

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