Beware of these job scam warning signs when looking for a new role

More than 30 per cent of UK adults have encountered some kind of employment scam, with one in five targeted suffering financial losses averaging around £2,300.

To prevent earnest job seekers from falling prey, the business building experts at Wix.com have offered their top tips on identifying fake job adverts.

Vague job descriptions with too good to be true promises

A legitimate job description should clearly spell out the job duties.

You shouldn’t be left guessing about what the role entails or what your day-to-day tasks will involve.

Job listings that advertise extravagant benefits, short working hours and sky-high pay for little to no experience should ring alarm bells for potential scams. While remote jobs are increasingly common today, scammers often dangle buzzwords like ‘flexible’, ‘work at home’, ‘earn $XXX’ to lure unwitting candidates.

Steer clear of job postings that give the impression of get-richquick schemes: if an offer appears too good to be true, it probably is.

Bogus web addresses that are devised to

deceive

Nearly three million new phishing and fake websites were spotted in the first half of 2023. Job scammers often use counterfeit company website URLs in their postings to create an air of legitimacy.

Examine the domain name for any subtle variations, and check the domain age as fake websites typically have short lives. Take that extra step to investigate its online presence and the LinkedIn profiles of its employees – a reputable company usually has an official website and active social media accounts.

Unprofessional communication with poor language quality

Exercise skepticism about unorthodox job application methods and communication via messaging apps, as scammers often exploit these platforms to conceal their identity. Legitimate organisations typically refrain from using personal emails for job-related communication, deeming it unprofessional; and would always ask for face-toface or Zoom interviews to properly evaluate candidates.

Furthermore, be wary of job postings riddled with multiple grammatical errors, spelling mistakes and incomplete sentences as trustworthy companies are unlikely to risk their reputation by publishing sloppy job postings.

Unsolicited job offers that fall right into

your lap Imagine seeing an email or message from a recruiter offering you a job out of the blue – hold your excitement and proceed with caution.

In recent tactics, fraudsters have been known to impersonate reputable companies, sometimes even using the names of real recruiters to establish trust. These offers often arrive through social media platforms like WhatsApp, Telegram, or Facebook, promising lucrative job opportunities without requiring you to go through the typical application process and stages of interviews.