We all have our own idea of the perfect job. Large pay, flexible schedule, loads of vacations, career growth, lifelong learning, 401k, the list goes on.
Now, imagine finding the perfect opportunity completely tailored to you. You proceed with an interview or talk to a recruiter and pass through a few phases. Then, you get hacked or scammed.
Yes, hackers are targeting job seekers now. But the good news is that you can detect these job scams because they usually follow the same patterns. Here’s how to spot them.
The pay is too high
You might think there’s no such thing as too much money. Even though that may be true for some people, it’s different with companies. You probably know how much your position is worth on the open market. Something is definitely off if some company offers double or triple the average salary.
They might want to get the best of the best, but you don’t find the best by hosting an open call for applicants. Don’t apply to such jobs because bad things can happen. Sky Mavis got hacked for 600 million dollars because an employee thought they would get enormous pay and bonuses. Unfortunately, hackers infiltrated the company through a PDF virus and made large transactions.
There’s a reason why they say that anything that looks too good to be true is suspicious.
A recruiter contacts you
You get a phone call from nowhere, and a recruiter tells you they’ve just received your CV and you’re perfect for a new opening. If you’ve been job searching, it could make sense. But if you aren’t, it’s probably a scam. Especially if the recruiter keeps telling you how lucky you are and how you’re the perfect fit for their role.
If the recruiter mentions they found your resume online, hear them out and do your due diligence in research. Good companies have hundreds of applicants for every job post. It’s unlikely they’ll call you first if you didn’t apply beforehand.
There’s nothing about the company online
When doing research, go deep. Of course, that doesn’t mean you should do a background check on companies like Google, Meta, or Amazon. But the people contacting you in their name should be on LinkedIn. And they should have endorsements by others who work in the same company.
If you get contacted by someone through email (and they have something generic that ends with @gmail.com), they’ll try to scam you. Check the company website too. If there’s nothing on Google, don’t apply or continue the conversation.
Unclear job requirements
Every job position has clear requirements. You need to help increase sales, reach targets, know how to code in a specific programming language, etc. But scam job offerings often have completely vague descriptions. If you can’t understand what you’re supposed to do based on the requirements, then you probably shouldn’t apply. The same thing goes for posts that ask you to be able to type, be of legal age, be literate, and something that every person can do.
You get the job immediately
If a company offers you a job after you just sent a resume, that’s a red flag. Tech companies are infamous for hosting too many interviews. But having zero interviews from your future employer means something fishy is happening there.
Every legitimate company wants to get to know you through an interview, two or three. Politely decline a job offer that you get immediately.
They asked for too much personal information
It’s normal for companies to ask for personal info like bank information and a social security number deep into the interview process. But if they’re asking for it outright, your alarms should sound immediately.
If they ask for something personal without stating why, ask them. Mention that it’s making you feel uncomfortable to share that information at the moment and wait for their answer. If their answer makes sense, trust your gut. If something feels off, don’t be afraid to move on.
They ask you to pay
If you’re applying for a remote role, and they ask you to pay for your new company laptop or tech stack, block them. This is an obvious scam, even if the pay, hours, and flexibility seem amazing.
The scammers will take your money and run. Legitimate companies award you with laptops and equipment for free. It’s a part of their benefits and compensation package, and you usually get to choose what you want. Whenever the tables are turned, and you pay to get paid, it’s a scam.
Are there any other ways to protect yourself?
As mentioned before, hackers can plant malware in PDFs. They can do so in Word and Excel files and images. Be careful when downloading files from recruiters and when they send you links out of the blue. Make sure you’re browsing the web with the best VPN protocol and antivirus installed.
Hackers know that a lot of people are switching positions, and they want to steal your money in any way they can. A VPN makes it impossible for them to snatch your IP address, while antivirus programs scan files for malware.
The job market is rough, and it’s filled with danger. Do your own research, and look out for these red flags to avoid getting scammed.