Top 5 Secrets Behind Online Job Scams - Be Alert!
Apr 23rd, 2008 by Loy Okezie
You’ve probably heard or read about online job scams around the world. Unfortunately, most people around the world believe that a larger percentage of email job scams originate from Nigeria. While this theory cannot be proved, jobseekers need to learn how to protect themselves from online job scams, rather than worry about where a job scam email comes from.
In this post, I’ll be discussing top 5 secrets you should know about online job scams and how you can avoid or protect yourself from them.
- Demand for money - Usually when you apply for jobs online, you are not required to pay any dime. However, job scammers give themselves away by asking for money to process documents and employment papers. If you get an email from any recruitment agency requesting that you send money, simply avoid contacts with this agency or agent. Don’t even bother to reply the email. If you must email them, ask the company to provide you copies of their certificate of incorporation or proofs of Government registration.
- Unprofessional websites/email accounts - A reliable recruitment agency must have a professional website and/or email accounts. If you recieve job emails from recruitment agencies that use email accounts from Yahoo, Hotmail, Gmail, etc, research them on Google to find out whether they exist. For example, an email address from a recruiter such as shellnigeria@yahoo.com is not reliable.
- Request for personal details - Normally, no recruitment agency would ask for your personal information such as bank account details, credit card details, PayPal information, Social Security Number (SSN), driver’s license, home address, phone number or any other personal data. If you are an online jobseeker and have been asked to provide these information, it is advisable that you avoid contact with these agency or agent.
- Offer jobs with huge salary package - Most jobs that turn out to be scams usually offer huge salary packages especially with oil and gas jobs. If you are carried away by this job offer, you may fall victim to job scammers. So when you recieve an email offering a job in which the pay is too high, avoid contacting the sender. If you must apply for the job, do a research on the industry trends as to the salary range for that particular job position.
- Aim to persuade and maneuver - Sometimes I wonder why these job scammers can’t use their skills in positive ways. They use strong marketing and advertising skills to win their customers (victims) confidence in their product or service. Their goal is to convince you that they are genuine and you should trust them, since they are asking for your confidential details. If you notice these attempts by any recruitment agency, avoid any future contacts with such agencies or agents.
In a future article, I’ll be discussing other aspects of online job scams and ways you can protect yourself in your job search.
To your career success!
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There is alot of job scam online today, thanks for sharing the tip.
hi.as regard the issue of scarmers you are quite right.not only on online career service website but also those advertise in some nigerian newspapers.where you make a visit to them and would be required to pay some money .then they would send the prospective client to unknown/un-traceable addresses.this is too bad.i want the career professionals to come together as body if none is existing at the moment.they should start piquetting those people who are doing such fraudlent services.However,i share this news,international student festival holds in Norway 2009.pls apply by http://www.isfit.org,then click apply isfit 2009.funding is available,application closes sept 30th 2008.programme is feb 20th -March 1st,2009.for further details i can be contacted on 08035185875.