In an industry where many recruiters walk a dodgy ethical and moral line, it’s a field day for dodgy online criminals.
Recruitment scammers pretend to be hiring on behalf of high-profile companies and online shopping platforms and they impersonate well-known recruitment agencies.
The scammer contacts you by email, letter or phone and offers you a job that requires very little effort for high returns, or a guaranteed way to make money quickly.
In 2022 alone, criminals stole more than $8.7 million from Australians —and that’s just what’s been reported to the Australian Consumer and Competition Commission (ACCC).
“If you are job-hunting and you are offered work that requires little effort for a big financial reward, it is most likely a scam,” ACCC deputy chair Delia Rickard said.
Recruitment scams target Australians looking to make the most of a highly competitive job market.
“We know younger people are particularly vulnerable, with Australians aged between 25 and 44 reporting the biggest losses to job scams,” Ms Rickard said.
This includes the thousands of young Australians who have finished school and graduated from university, with high hopes about their future careers.
As a job seeker, how can I protect myself?
Real recruitment companies won’t contact you out of the blue via channels such as WhatsApp or social media, says the ACCC.
They also won’t offer you a “work from home” remote opportunity that promises little effort for a high salary.
“If a job offer sounds too good to be true, it’s probably a scam,” Ms Rickard said.
Tips to protect yourself:
- Don’t trust the legitimacy of a job ad just because it appears on a trusted platform or website;
- Research the recruiter offering the position;
- Contact the recruitment agency via phone numbers sourced from an internet search;
- Be suspicious if the role is offered to you without an interview;
- A legitimate job offer will not require you to make an immediate decision;
- Be cautious of recruiters that contact you via platforms like WhatsApp, Signal or Telegram and
- Avoid any arrangement that asks for up-front payment.
Source: ACCC
The full story is here:
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-01-30/what-are-recruitment-scams-targeting-job-seekers-australia/101875596