 Here are two common online job scams to watch out for and some tips to help you job-hunt more safely online. Phony job opportunitiesBy creating phony job ads, scammers hope to fool job hunters into sending them personal information (called phishing). Scammers post their ads on legitimate job sites. Phony job ads often use familiar-looking or convincing company logos and verbiage. Sometimes they even provide links to fake Web sites that appear to be those of real organizations. These sites might also charge fees for services they will never render. Typically, after a few days the thieves close down the scam and disappear. Unsolicited job recruitersOn the flip side, after they scan personal Web pages and resumes on public job sites, con artists sometimes pose as job recruiters and send out unsolicited e-mail (or spam) to prospective candidates with job opportunities or staffing services. A job scam artist will attempt to gain their victim's confidence with well-rehearsed pitches and phony resources to extract personal information, even over the phone. It's important to remember that this information typically is not required before an in-person interview. Best practices for online job hunters| • | Never provide any non-work related personal information such as your social security number, credit card number, date of birth, home address, and marital status online, through e-mail, over the phone, in a fax, or on your resume. | | • | List your resume on a job site that allows only verified recruiters to scan them and uses a privacy policy. | | • | Verify a prospective employer, recruiter, or recruiting agency through another source such as the Better Business Bureau or a phone book, and then contact them directly-or better yet, visit them in person at the company location during regular work hours. | | • | If a prospective recruiter or employer requests a background check, agree to do so only after you have met with them at their company location during regular work hours. | | • | Beware of anyone who asks you for money up front in exchange for finding work for you. You should never have to pay for "exclusive" job leads or for a job itself. | | • | If you are paying for job placement services, don't provide credit card or bank information or engage in any monetary transactions unless done in person, onsite, with a prospective recruiter or job agency. | | • | Carefully evaluate contact information in job ads or related e-mails, watching out for spelling errors, an e-mail address that does not feature the company's name, and inconsistencies with area or zip codes. For more tips on spotting phishing scams, see How can I tell if an e-mail message is fraudulent? | | • | Enter Web site addresses (URLs) into your browser instead of using links when checking out job sources, and be mindful of a new form of deception similar to phishing called "pharming," which involves redirecting users from legitimate Web sites to phony replicas with the intention of stealing personal information. | | • | Create an exclusive Web-based e-mail address and account for all non-personal communication. | | • | Although there aren’t any foolproof methods for spotting bogus job ads, look for multiple misspellings and other inconsistencies, which are common indicators. | | • | Trust your instincts and be especially cautious when dealing with contacts outside your own country. If an opportunity promises too much or something else doesn't seem right, chances are it's a scam. |
What to do if you encounter a job scamIf you believe you’ve encountered a fraudulent job ad online or you're the victim of a Web-based job scam, report it immediately to the organization used to list the ad, the Federal Trade Commission, and the Internet Fraud Complaint Center (IFCC.) You can also follow our recommended steps to help minimize any damage.
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