Each year, people fall prey to fake job advertisements. While on the search for a means to make a living, someone is plotting how they will take advantage of your desperation. They will scam you of some money or valuable time. It’s become easier to scam people as they prey on naivety and access to the internet. Sometimes, you won’t even know it’s fake until it’s too late. Here are some things to watch out for to spot a fake job advertisement.
1. Application fee
This is usually one of the first obvious signs. If you’ve searched for a job, you’ve probably come across such advertisements. This mostly affects people in the creative or informal sector. Some scammers may pose recruitment agencies and require some payment before accepting your application. Others introduce you to a “get rich quick” scheme which requires you to invest some money.
2. No online presence
Many companies have social media accounts where they post current developments including job advertisements. Therefore, you should do your due diligence and verify the legitimacy of any advertisement by the said company. Additionally, if this company doesn’t have any social media pages, there’s a high likelihood that it’s a scam.
3. Sloppy language
You may have come across a job advertisement that looks legitimate except, you can’t get over the countless spelling errors. Sorry, but that job on LinkedIn with all caps or with so many grammatical errors is not a real job advertisement. No reputable company will run an advertisement with grammatical errors. Some scammers aren’t the most educated people. Therefore, they are likely to make errors in their posts.
4. NGO jobs
These are some of the most lucrative and sort after jobs. Therefore, scammers take advantage of the high demand. To avoid falling prey to a fake job advertisement, you should be cautious about such jobs. Luckily, these companies have job advertisements on their website where you can verify their legitimacy.
5. Generic Email Address
Legitimate employers will have email addresses with this company name as opposed to “@gmail.com”. This is usually an indication of their professionalism and dedication to the company. Additionally, you’re more likely to trust a custom email than a generic email. You should be wary of job advertisements that uses ordinary email addresses.
6. Too good to be true
You know that job searching isn’t the easiest thing to do. There’s nothing wrong with a job advertisement that meets all your expectations. However, some go overboard and start to look suspicious. If the job advertisement doesn’t require any experience or credentials when normally, other advertisements do, you’re being scammed.
7. Location of the interview
Some employers don’t have a physical company address. However, they organize interviews in professional settings like co-working spaces. For a fake job advertisement, they are likely to avoid places that have accountability. They will set up interviews at hotels or shady offices with scarce furniture and little to no paperwork.
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