Fraudsters often make lucrative offers with catchphrases like “guaranteed job”. But the jobs are not guaranteed and many times, they don’t even exist.
The changing dynamics of the ever-growing labor market have also emboldened scammers. With online search for a dream job becoming a common norm, it’s easier for fraudsters to hide behind electronic channels and offer fake employment opportunities.
Cyber-Forensics.net, an industry leader in the cyber forensic services meant for online scam victims reveals that “while fraudulent offers can differ in the types, they are similar in the goal that they want personal information-i.e., bank account numbers, social security numbers, and money.
Stories of individuals either getting scammed or escaping the trap by thin hair are making rounds on the internet.
A resounding case made headlines in the news when a Gadsden woman’s near-to-getting scam experience became a lesson for millions of online job finders.
Beth Patterson discovered a lucrative "data entry” job online promising to pay $20 per hour. Perks like work from home convinced her that it was the perfect job. But for Beth, bells went off when she was asked to fill her bank details at the end of the interview. Beth immediately called out the scam and posted her experience on social media in hopes of warning others.
Speaking about the similar pattern of scamming people, cyber expert Timothy Benson says Patterson was lucky. Fortunately, she didn’t give any details or money to scammers. However, it is not the case with most individuals who find they have been scammed only when it’s too late.”
How do Fake job unemployment offers hurt job seekers?
It’s not just about the time and money invested that feels wasted when a job listing turns out to be fake. But it also takes an emotional toll. Cyber expert Timothy Benson says “in an ear when competition is cut throat, securing a job opportunity ultimately eliminates a lot of insecurities. But as soon as the job seeker finds that the job offer is fake, all those insecurities quickly return.”
What is being done to stop job employment scams?
According to several studies, investigators are taking measures to help job seekers ``spot suspicious activity” and “detect fake accounts/websites”. They are urging job seekers to look at the warning signs that can help know if the posting is legit.
Platforms like LinkedIn, CareerBuilder, Angie’sList, where job hunters are available on large numbers, are issuing statements to aware job appliers.
How to determine if a job offer is fake?
Fortunately, there is. While it sometimes may be difficult to identify if a job offer is fake. Most of the time, job finders can look out for a few telltale signs to catch anyone offering a fake job offer. Here is what looks like a job scam:
- Too good to be true offer: A job offer that requires no prior experience, promising high salary at the same time, no interview, and immediate joining, is a Guaranteed Job Scam.
- Vague job description: Real job opportunities require specific job skills that must be met. However, in illegitimate job listings, these descriptions are often missing, copied from another website or vague. For instance, be careful about job offers that require candidates to join immediately.
- The company requires any sort of payment: Any job recruiter requiring any sort of payment is a red flag.
- The job offer promises wealthy returns: The ultimate goal is to become rich. But the process is always slow and steady thus, any job offer promising quick promotions is likely a warning of a scam.
- Unprofessional Communication: Another big warning sign is the medium of communication. No legitimate company contacts job seekers through mediums like Whatsapp, Twitter. Although companies may post job listings on social media platforms, their formal means of communication never comes through them.
- Missing details of company: Big brands compete for higher authority. They want to make sure they are everywhere and reachable in any possible means. Thus, it is impossible to imagine any genuine company missing or adding contact details in their job listings. If a job seeker notices an email address, phone numbers or any gaps in communication channels. It is better to pass the offer.
- Confidential Information request: It is not until the stage that a person has joined the company, the recruiter asks for information like unique id numbers. But never in any case, the recruiter asks for submitting bank information at the initial stage of hiring processes. They may call this basic information. But remember, social security numbers, bank details are not basic. They are confidential.
Given the chance that a job hunter misses noticing these signs and gives their information to the scammer or pays any money. The users can seek expert help and get their money back. These officials are called fund recovery company.
The Fund Recovery Strategies
Retrieving money lost in a job scam can be a little difficult especially when the origin of the scam is unknown. Fun recovery specialist agencies often have a team of legal practitioners and counselors who can help build fund recovery plans for online scam victims. But also stay alert of fake asset recovery companies promising or guaranteeing 100% money back.
Remember, the chances of fund recovery in any kind of scam depend on factors like- the channel of scam, amount lost, investigators hired, etc. Job scam victims need to identify warning signs in order to avoid getting trapped again such as:
- Always see the industry they are serving
- Confirm their experience
- Confirm the company location, team, year of establishment, and other details
About Cyber-Forensics.net
Cyber-Forensics.net is committed to providing the most accurate tracing service for victims of online scams. Cyber-Forensics.net empowers and simplifies the process of tracking down the cyber-criminals and assists in recovering the funds and creating an atmosphere for a negotiated settlement. For more information, please visit http://cyber-forensics.net/.