Did you know that for every legitimate job posted online, there are 60-70 fake job postings? The chances are that you have stumbled across a job posting that looks too good to be true.
It may seem so beyond perfect that you want to straightaway apply and not let the opportunity slip out of your hands. However, somewhere in the middle of all the personal questions, it dawns on you: ‘what if it’s a scam?’
With the odds of legitimacy not on your side, you should be aware of the signs that the job post is not at all genuine.
3 Red Alerts That Indicate a Fake Job Posting
Fake job postings always have some statements that scream ‘SCAM’ at the top of the voice. You have to be careful while reading the posts, so you do not get trapped in the scam racket.
Here you’ll discover the top 3 signs to look out for in the recruitment posts.
#1 Lack of Transparency
Sometimes when you are going through your dream job posting, you realize that the duties and descriptions are ambiguous. You sit there playing the guessing game, wondering what your responsibilities would be if you apply for the position.
One obvious way to spot the scams is to look out for a slew of incomplete sentences, typos, and grammatical errors. While there are chances that the post may be computer-generated, it is a vivid reflection of the job as well as the company’s negligence and unwillingness to reveal the necessary information.
Lack of transparency is also evident when the company’s name is missing. It’s always a smart idea to know the company’s name before you apply for the job posting.
What to do?
If you have any confusion, pull up the company’s website to unravel accurate job information. If you don’t get enlightened about the job even after the web search, it’s thank-you-next time to invest your effort in another opportunity.
#2 Money Magnet
Money makes any man blind and foolish and makes him easy prey for scams. In the era when everyone aims to live a better lifestyle, money is super-important to survive and thrive. And let’s admit it; an astonishingly high salary is a key that lures many to apply for the position. But be aware! If the salary seems too good to be true in the job market, it probably is.
In addition to the figures, you can filter the fake job postings with some common keywords like ‘earn quick cash’, ‘easy earning’, or even ‘salary potential’. It’s sensible to avoid cutting corners to earn money and make your ends meet. After all, you’d want to apply for a job that rightfully compensates you based on your skills, outputs, and experiences, wouldn’t you?
What to do?
Researching about the salary range of your dream job can help you prevent getting a tag of scam-victim. This gives you an insight into the salary range of a particular job so you can proceed with caution.
#3 Upfront confidential information
Another major red flag is when the companies ask you to share your bank account details in the early stage. The company may ask you to fill its insurance form to get your confidential information.
If you are being instructed to do so and you feel something is fishy, trust your intuition. It’s better to put in some more effort and scan through other opportunities than end up losing hard-earned money to a fake job posting.
What to do?
You should immediately slow down the process and put on your best research shoes before giving out any personal information. You can also check if the website is secure or not by looking at the URL where the address should read https:// and not http://.
The Rise in Fake Job Postings
With scams running rampant in the contemporary era, it’s best to steer clear of fake job postings. In fact, people have been fooled into getting involved in money laundering via work-from-home scams, calling premium rate phone lines for telephonic interviews, and even paying exorbitant fees for non-existent online training and insurances.
Even worse, the exponential growth in job scams is on the rise despite efforts to completely eradicate the menace from society. As a responsible human being, it’s best to report the scam to the right authority instead of merely scrolling down to the other job postings. This prevents other innocent people from getting victimized by the fraudsters.
Shield from the Scams
It would help if you were on the lookout for minute details about the post so you won’t get scammed out of time and money by fraudsters posting fake job adverts on recruitment websites. After thoroughly reading the job post to your utter satisfaction, you should conduct detailed research about the company.
Checking the official website about the company ensures that the post is genuine, and you are not wasting your valuable time. Another factor that helps you protect yourself from the trap of fake job rackets is to avoid uploading your curriculum vitae (CV) or resume on all the recruitment platforms, but the reliable ones like LinkedIn.
You can also keep the scams at bay if you are observant about the method of communication. If your inbox starts to flood with messages from the company or your phone blows up during off-business hours, it’s time to reconsider your decision to apply for the company.
Takeaway
Being extra vigilant and knowing smart hacks (like the ones mentioned above) to detect scams can save you from all the troubles, financial loss, and efforts that go in vain. After all, it’s good to be careful than sorry!
