There’s been a surge in recruitment fraud in which criminals are sending false employment offers to job seekers. While some Veeam job seekers have been targeted, this issue is rampantly targeting job seekers across the globe. We are sharing some background about what these scams are and tips to help those who are seeking employment with us to identify a real recruiting opportunity compared to something that may be false.
What is recruitment fraud? Recruitment fraud is also known as job scams. A cybercriminal poses as an individual or legitimate organization for the purpose of fraudulently obtaining personal information or money from individuals. This can be through fake websites, fake emails, fake virtual interviews, or impersonating a legitimate company recruiter. They are becoming more sophisticated and convincing.
How can you identify recruitment fraud? While this type of fraud is constantly evolving, some key signs to look for include:
- An out of this world job offer. Like most scams, if something sounds like it’s too good to be true, it usually is. If you receive an unexpected email promising you a higher salary than you’ve typically received, it is likely a scam. If you get a job offer for a job you didn’t even apply for, it is a scam.
- Emails from a personal email instead of a company account. A real recruiter shouldn’t be communicating with you from something like @gmail.com or @yahoo.com.
- Emails with glaring errors. While we’re all human and make mistakes in our emails at times, if the email has glaring grammatical errors or references the wrong company, assume the email is fraudulent.
- Recruiters asking for money. Applying for a job shouldn’t involve you paying for anything, including travel expenses for in-person interviews. If you receive an invoice for equipment or training that they claim you will need, it is likely a scam.
- Recruiters asking for personal information early on. It is true that you will need to share personal information at some point in the process, but not until after an official offer letter of employment has been provided. Having a recruiter ask you for personal details like your driver’s license, Social Security number, or banking details to fill out employment paperwork before you have an official offer letter on company letterhead should be a warning sign.
- Job offers that don’t involve a single interview. If you are offered a job without ever being interviewed, or only interviewed over a chat, it is a scam.
- Inconsistent contact information. Compare the contact information provided by the supposed recruiter with contact information you can find on the official company’s website. Does it match? If there is no contact information, that is an even bigger warning sign.
- Attachments and links. If the only call to action in the recruiting or job offer email is to open an attachment or visit a website, proceed with caution. That attachment could contain malicious software (malware, such as a virus, computer worm or spyware). Don’t click on the link; do your own online search to find the site they are referencing. If the link is to the job description, look for it on a reputable job site – if it doesn’t exist, the email and recruiting attempt is likely a scam.