How To Spot An Employment Scam

Oct 17, 2024

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Employment scams skyrocketed last year, increasing by nearly 120%. Would you be able to spot one?

The FTC routinely handles thousands of employment scam complaints each year, but that number is rising dramatically as technology makes conning job seekers easier for online thieves.

The Bible warns us about living in a hostile and deceptive world. In Matthew 10:16, Jesus reminds us:

“Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves.”

This means we are called to live innocently, doing no harm, but also to practice discernment and wisdom to avoid harm—especially in areas like employment and finances.

One piece of advice that’s particularly useful, especially when money is involved, is: “If something looks too good to be true, it probably is.” This simple principle can help protect you from many employment scams that prey on your trust. But with today’s AI advancements, some scams have become more challenging to spot.

Artificial intelligence has made it easier for scammers to generate fake job listings and convincing recruitment messages. According to the Identity Theft Resource Center, AI can help scammers polish their “pitch,” making it more persuasive and compensating for language and cultural differences. Unfortunately, victims of these scams lose an average of nearly $2,000.

Common Employment Scams to Watch Out For

Here are some of the most common employment scams you might encounter:

Work-from-home scams: With the rise of remote work, scammers target those seeking home-based jobs by offering fake opportunities.
Repackaging and reshipping scams: These scams involve sending merchandise from your home, with con artists getting you to send money in the process.
Virtual personal assistant scams: A fake employer claims they need help with administrative tasks, but their real goal is to steal personal information.
Mystery shopper scams: These fake job offers entice you to pay upfront for “training” or “supplies,” but the job never materializes.
Job placement scams: Scammers ask for a fee to place you in a job but disappear after receiving your payment.
Government and postal job scams: These scams claim to offer government jobs in exchange for a fee or personal information.

Scammers often post these fake job listings on reputable websites like LinkedIn, Indeed, and other job search platforms, making it harder to tell what’s real and what’s not. The rise of remote work since the pandemic has also made job seekers more comfortable with digital-only interactions, but this comes with its own set of risks.

Red Flags to Watch For

According to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), here’s what you can do to protect yourself:

Don’t assume safety on well-known job search platforms. Just because a listing is on a reputable site doesn’t mean it’s legitimate.
Independently verify the company and its hiring process. Always research the company before accepting an offer.
Be cautious if you didn’t initiate contact. If a recruiter contacts you out of the blue, verify their credentials directly with the company.
Digital-only interactions are a red flag. While many interviews are conducted online, be wary of jobs that involve only digital communication.
Beware of check scams. Honest employers won’t send you a check to buy supplies and then ask you to return the leftover money. This is a common fake check scam.
Too-good-to-be-true offers. High pay for little work is another major warning sign, especially if personal or financial information is required early in the process.

How to Protect Yourself

If you spot any of these red flags, it’s wise to walk away. However, you can also verify if a job is legitimate by doing an online search of the company or person offering the position. Add words like “scam,” “review,” or “complaint” to your search. While not finding complaints doesn’t automatically make the job offer legitimate, finding plenty of complaints is a sure sign that it’s a scam.

If you believe you’ve encountered a scam, report it to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) at reportfraud.ftc.gov or the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3). Additionally, if you found the suspicious job listing on a reputable platform like LinkedIn or Indeed, be sure to report the listing to the site.

By staying alert and using discernment, you can protect yourself from employment scams in a world that sometimes feels like it’s full of wolves. Take these precautions, trust your instincts, and stay safe.

On Today’s Program, Rob Answers Listener Questions:

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Resources Mentioned:

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