Spotting a Job Scam and How to Avoid Being a Victim

Scammers will stretch their fraudulent muscles as hard as they can in hunting for their potential victims. And when it comes job-hunting, scammers just aren't as professional (if not at all).

But in the fierce competition of the working world, it can be very easy to lure job- seekers. Especially with fresh graduate professionals, selling them the dream might just be trick.

But if you are smart enough, these common red flags can be pretty identifiable.

How can you tell the difference between a legitimate or fake employer?

First and foremost, as with any application, you must do your research beforehand.

Look out for the company's online presence, read reviews, look up their clients, their address, etc. Anything that would prove that they exist in the field. But sometimes, fake headhunters would go as far as publishing a fake, but professional-looking website to deceive potential victims.

1.It's too good to be true

Scammers would make you feel as though their offer is the job that you truly want. And if you're the one who usually contacts employers, it's the other way around in this scenario. An invitation for an interview just pops into your e-mail randomly and you're suddenly wondering where it came from.

Here lies what is called a data entry scam. With this operation, the pay looks tempting. And you don't even have to do much work! What they are advertising is a way to attain your dream wage right in the comfort of your own home.

But other than enticing you with a salary that seems a little far-fetched from your skills and experience, they want to hire you without a moment's thought. Sure it is great to get on board with a job as soon as possible, but realistically, recruiters usually take awful weeks of decision-making. This is to make sure that they are entertaining only the most qualified applicants. If the hiring process seems like a rush, you might want to think twice by that point.

What to do:

• Use job sites like JobStreet to verify the legitimacy and reputation of the organization. Some job portals would indicate if an employer is verified or not.
• Google the company and see if they have a website. If they so happen to have a sophisticated-looking site, ensure that their contact information is indicated.
• Check if they have an active social media presence.

2.Vague job description

When you read a job post, you just know when it speaks to you or when it doesn't. The thing is most companies are very specific with their ideal employee - from their degree, years of experience in a relevant field, down to their attitudes.

Therefore, it is utterly skeptical that a company would recruit just about anyone as long as they're interested. If the job description simply entails that it needs someone 18 years old and above, with or without a bachelor's degree, and has access to the Internet, then you might want to dig deeper into the offer.

What to do:

• Inquire about everything there is you need to know. From the nature of the company, the job description, the number of employees, the application process, etc. Though this might just be a signal of interest to them, you will know in this way if you should even be handing them your utmost trust. With this, they should be willing to answer all of your questions with confidence.
• Don't allow yourself to be "trained" on something you have no knowledge about.

3.Asking for confidential information

Perhaps the most questionable part of just about any offer, is asking for your personal information. And when it comes to jobs, scammers are no different.

Money should not play any part in any lawful application process.

No employer should be asking for your confidential information such as your bank account, your credit card info, or even your birthday. They will tell you that you must provide a series of personal information before your supposed job interview. In other cases, they would ask you to fill out a form or require you to make transactions from one account to another.

Any information you give to an illegitimate party can be used against you. Scammers are known for being the culprits of identity theft and money laundering. The worst part? You might be getting caught up in these crimes without your knowledge.

What to do:

• Do a thorough research of the company or employer before doing any financial engagements.
• Monitor your bank/credit card accounts for any unusual activity.
• If something goes wrong, get in touch with your local police so they can conduct an investigation.

4.Unprofessional email

Many companies are looking for someone who can speak and write well in English, and proof-reading should be second nature. Because nothing says fishy

than a message that looks straight out of your spam e-mails. Unprofessional e- mails are not well written, grammatically incorrect, with errors on something as simple as spelling, capitalization, and punctuation.

Another thing to watch out for is the e-mail being used by the sender. Companies follow a specific e-mail format in making business engagements. But some scammers would use their personal e-mail instead of the company's. When asked about it, they would make excuses about some technical issues or how they haven't set-up a company e-mail yet.

But some also are smart enough to use a fake domain named after a seemingly- real company.

What to do:

• Copy and paste the e-mail into your search box. You may also type words like "scam" or "illegitimate" to see if anyone has encountered the same situation.
• Contact the said company to check if the person who reached out to you is in any way affiliated with them.

5.Trust your gut

The best thing to do is to trust your intuition. If something makes you uncomfortable, then it probably is no longer right to move forward. It is better to settle for a job that looks more realistically befitting with what you have to offer, rather than a fantasy that would eventually jeopardize your future, and everything you've worked so hard for.

About JobStreet.com

JobStreet.com is a leading online job board presently covering the employment markets in Malaysia, Singapore, the Philippines, Indonesia and Vietnam. JobStreet.com currently services over 230,000 corporate hirers and over 15 million jobseekers in its database.

About SEEK Asia

JobStreet.com and jobsDB are part of SEEK Asia, which is the leading online employment market place in Asia. SEEK Asia covers 7 countries namely Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

SEEK Asia is the extension of the Australian Securities Exchange listed company called SEEK. The company's purpose is to help improve people's lives through a better career. SEEK Asia's database consist of over 500,000 corporate hirers and over 24 million candidates.

For more information about this article, or to schedule an interview with JobStreet.com Philippines, please call Paola Savillo, Marketing Supervisor, at 286-6222.