Job Scams Pose Ongoing Threats To the Public

As job scams surge, shining a light on their mechanics might just arm job seekers with the vigilance to dodge them.

At a Glance

Employment scams increased by 23%, according to the BBB.
Scammers are increasingly targeting mobile devices.
Common scams involve AI-generated jobs, cryptocurrency schemes, and phishing.
Job seekers should research and verify companies before giving personal information.

Rising Job Scam Trends

In recent years, job scams have alarmingly increased, with reports to the FTC tripling between 2020 and 2021, while employment scams have spiked by 23% according to the Better Business Bureau. The 2020 health emergency reportedly exacerbated this trend, with scammers taking advantage of remote work popularity. These fraudsters often offer work-at-home jobs, tempting targets using enticing compensation for minimal effort. A recent report from The Associated Press and writer Adriana Morga also indicated that job scams have been on the rise in the last year as well. In addition, the Identity Theft Resource Center reported a 118% increase in job scams in 2023 compared to the previous year.

Scammers are adapting quickly to exploit current technological trends. Increasingly, they target job seekers via mobile devices with fake employment offers. Common scams include AI-generated job postings, cryptocurrency schemes, and phishing attempts. These scammers impersonate legitimate companies, using fake URLs or requesting sensitive personal and financial information.

Confronting the Impact on Victims

The impact of falling victim to a job scam can be financially and emotionally devastating. Scams involving fake checks often leave victims out of pocket when banks discover the fraudulent nature of these payments. Sometimes, scammers pose as large company employees, offering high salaries for low-skilled work, and then ask for personal details or money back, leading to significant financial and psychological burdens.

The job market’s dynamic shift has bolstered scammers’ credentials in these schemes. In May 2024 alone, 904,000 job vacancies were reported in the U.K., presenting substantial opportunities for deception. This alarming growth in scams accompanies staggering changes in recruitment processes, as noted by Eva Velasquez, underscoring the need for job seekers to navigate with caution.

Strategies for Protection

To guard against scams, job seekers should conduct thorough research on companies. Verification of job postings through official company websites or trusted job boards is critical, where rigorous hand-screening of offers helps eliminate scams. Additionally, recognizing telltale signs of phishing or scam jobs, such as grammatical errors, urgent requests, and offers that appear too good to be true, can help people avoid scams.

FlexJobs highlights simple steps to remain vigilant: don’t rush into any job offer, verify the authenticity of emails and websites, and avoid clicking on suspicious links, especially from unknown recruiters. If approached directly through social media, investigate the recruiter’s legitimacy by checking their online presence and the validity of the offer through reputable sources.