Fake job ads have been around for a while, but remote work opportunities have increased recently. Give hackers the tools they need to help them commit recruitment scams online.
Sometimes the recruitment process is used to trick you into providing your personal information, which can then be used in other fraudulent schemes. Upon completion of an online interview, you will receive a job acceptance letter and an official employment form asking you to provide detailed personal information including: your residence address, contact details, personal business card number and bank details. Details of the salary being sent to you, after submitting this form the employer will disappear and you will no longer be able to contact them.
In this article, Kaspersky security experts explain the most common online recruitment scams and the signs you can look out for to avoid job phishing scams:
First, the major online recruitment scams:
1- Paid training:
If the job involves using a specific app or tool, you may have to pay for completing mandatory training and obtaining certification before you begin, and your employer may offer to pay for this by deducting it from your first paycheck. Guaranteed, but in fact, your relationship with him will end after completing the training simulation.
For persuasion, the training platform can be independent and not tied to a specific employer, but this step is part of the program itself, and the need to invest in training is a red flag that must be taken into account. Also, any entity that really wants to hire you will value the basic skills and certifications you need before you hire them. If you don't have the right qualifications, they won't hire you easily.
2- Help in finding a job:
Another common pattern is to start a staffing agency with a sketchy reputation, find people who are genuinely looking for a job, pledge to find the perfect employer in a short period of time, and charge a flat fee in return. .
But the Labor Code states that the employer, not the employee, always pays for the research. So if a recruiter asks a candidate for money, it is likely phishing.
3- Purchasing the necessary tools and materials for work:
The plan is to let the person know they deserve the job. To do this, however, he needs a separate gadget, device or laptop for the office, but it must be bought in a specific place, as it is assumed that this amount will be deducted from the first salary. Of course, if you fall for this scam, you won't get your laptop or paycheck.
Second, there are signs to help you avoid online recruitment phishing scams:
1- Honest employers do not charge money for money:
This is the basic and most important rule, no matter what the payment is called - be it for work equipment, tuition, registration fees or contribution insurance - the money required of you for a job of any kind is the largest and most important. It is the clearest sign of a phishing scam.
2. Honest employers have several requirements:
This is a reason to think about getting a relatively difficult and high-paying job at your first interview. He also believes that recruitment and hiring deadlines are tight. It is also surprising that a good job does not include such important requirements as: the experience and qualifications of the candidate.
3- Fraudsters can take advantage of well-known brands:
Staffing or consulting firms may hire you to work for large, well-known companies or even government agencies. It happens, but first you need to confirm that the recruiter actually works for the company and make sure that you have at least one interview with someone from the same company.
You can also search by employer and employer reputation, and you can search online by employer name or employer company. It's also a good idea to look at the careers section of the brand's website and see if the job you're applying for is listed first on the site.
4- How do employers recognize you?
The answer to this question is also important because it is in itself intimidating to receive an attractive and unexpected job offer if you do not do the research. If you are really looking for a job and post your resume and contact information on a job site, Crooks may contact you as well as real employers, so be careful.
5- Before signing the employment contract, do not provide any personal data:
If you are hired for a job, you must sign an employment contract from your first day on the job. If this is the first time you have been asked to provide certain personal information, such as your bank details, you should not provide it.
6- Try to contact your future employer:
You may know someone who already works for the hiring company. Learn about the business and talk to someone you're dating. If they don't know the recruiter, or if the company isn't looking for someone for the position you're interviewing for, you need to be extra vigilant.
This last tip is very important as scammers are constantly improving their tactics. You can land a job offer that convinces you of a reputable job site, spend three interviews, and end up with a fraudulent offer. Therefore, being careful, thoughtful and investigating this site through personal contact is the best way to protect yourself from unpleasant surprises.