09 May 2023
Ministers have reported that UK Jobseekers are being conned out of a small fortune by scammers who are taking money for fake security checks and training.
Up to 10% of job seekers have fallen victim to such a scam, losing hundreds of pounds for non-existent checks or even being conned into calling massively high-cost premium rate phone lines for 'interviews'.
Damian Hinds, the Employment minister, has said that fraudsters typically target low-income ordinary people who genuinely desire to earn a decent wage to look after their families. Sadly, they are facing additional financial hardship because of these fraudsters.
Our Job Board at OurBob.com is a member of the Saferjobs website, which provides advice and support for job seekers faced with situations like this. Jobseekers should check the Saferjobs site for tips and can use the site to report anything they suspect could be a scam.
Saferjobs tips for jobseekers include:
There are so many recruitment scams to look out for nowadays, but here are a small number you might have seen or heard of already:
1. Emails saying you've been selected for an interview for a job you've never applied for!
This type of email is generally sent to find information about you which could compromise your personal security. You might be asked to follow a link and provide bank account details or a Driving License number, which the fraudsters can use for their own criminal purposes.
These emails are known as phishing emails, and they are designed to get you to give them personal information. They may be made to look like the genuine website of the company in question, but one of the easiest ways to spot the frauds is that their spelling will tend to be quite bad, and their phrasing will often sound less than professional.
2. Fake Jobs on Social Media
Some fraudsters will post fake job adverts on Facebook, Twitter and other sites, even on genuine job-related pages. If you see an ad on social media, google the recruiter or advertiser before clicking on the link to make sure they are a trusted site or try and find the ad on the recruiter's or employer's own website if you think it could be a fraudulent post.
If you click through to a site, look in the top left-hand corner of the address bar to verify that it has a padlock symbol. Many fraudulent recruiters use free web space, which doesn’t have secure protection as standard. Reputable companies will most often have a padlock symbol as they take their website security seriously and are prepared to pay extra to include it. Seeing a padlock symbol is not an absolute guarantee of legitimacy, but not having one is almost certainly a red flag.
3. You are required to pay to apply!
Genuine recruiters will not ask you to pay to apply for a job. If you are ever asked for payment just to submit an application, then walk away and report the matter to Saferjobs. There can be costs for jobseekers in a recruitment process, but these should never be before a job offer has been made and can usually be for security checks.
Being asked to pay just to apply for a job should be a huge red flag. Nothing costs recruiters money before the selection process starts, and paying to submit a CV or an application just sounds very suspect. It doesn’t matter how good the job sounds on paper, pay attention to the red flags and walk away if this is something that you are asked to do.
If it sounds too good to be true, it usually is. Remember these words and repeat them to yourself when searching for jobs online. Some places will seemingly offer a ridiculously high pay level for a job, but you will have to pay a fee to apply. In cases such as this, there is seldom a job at the end of it. The company behind the advert is making their money from the potential applicants, not from what the job role does.
4. Beware Multi-Level Marketing or Pyramid Schemes
These can often be advertised like legitimate jobs, except they nearly always go overboard on the hyperbole. They want you to believe you can do this mystery work-from-home job and earn thousands of pounds monthly. In reality, MLM schemes expect you to buy their stock first and then sell it to your family and friends.
There are many different products, from “sports drinks” to off-brand make-up, perfume and jewellery. With this kind of “job opportunity”, you are promised that you can also make money from every sale generated by your “downline”. That is the people that you, in turn, can recruit to sell the products. This is where the “multi-level” aspect comes in.
The reality of this can mean that you alienate your friends who get sick of being sold to through Facebook and other social media channels. Many people also lose money with MLM and end up with products boxed up in garages and attics that they are unable to sell. Some may blame you if you persuaded them to join and then they lost money.
Some people can make money from MLM schemes, but the ones making the real money are at the top of the pyramid. The schemes are generally better off avoided and are extremely unlikely to offer the riches that they purport to offer.
