Looking For Job Online: Beware! Three Ways You Can Be Duped On The Internet

The digital frauds are evolving with time. Every now and then, they would change their modus operandi in order to outsmart the cops and earn as much money as possible in a single haul. Currently, the cyber police have identified the three ways that are being used by the frauds to dupe people online. Here they are:

1. Email from an employers

Experts say that during the pandemic, this is one of the most effective ways to dupe the people who have lost jobs and are ready to pay anything to get back to a decent employer. The email claims that the recruiters found your resume on internet job portals. The message will say they think you are the perfect candidate for this new opportunity.

You might not remember ever applying (and, if it’s a scam, you likely didn’t). You may not remember seeing the employer’s name before. Or, perhaps the employer name is a famous one you would love to work for.

And, they are very interested in hiring you — immediately!

All you need to do to is send them personal information for a pre-employment credit check, complete your application, or give them the information they need to complete the process so they can bring you on board as a new employee.

They want you to give them your sensitive information like a copy of your driver’s license (which tells them your birthdate), your Social Security Number (to complete the paperwork to hire you), and/or your bank account number (for depositing those never-received paychecks).

Be very wary of an email from someone who you don’t know, regardless of the logos and names visible in the email message.

Logos and names can be “borrowed” from websites.

2.  Fake Jobs on Social Media

This is the latest hunting ground for job scams, and no social network is immune to it. Be cautious of jobs and recruiters you find on social media.

Fake Facebook pages exist with many “opportunities” shared and promoted. Bogus jobs may also be posted on legitimate Facebook pages, too.

Fake LinkedIn Profiles are created, and they are used to post “opportunities” in LinkedIn Groups. LinkedIn does try to eliminate the fake Profiles, and limit access (or remove the accounts) when someone with a real profile spreads junk inside of LinkedIn.

Verify that the recruiter or employer social media account is genuine before you click and apply. Search the employer or recruiter name. If a Twitter account has fewer than 500 followers, be cautious, especially if the employer name claimed is well-known.

3. Fake Jobs Apparently from Legitimate Employers 

The job posting or the website claim to be a real employer, perhaps from a reputed company like Google or Apple or often from less well-known names. But, although the employer name is legitimate, the jobs are NOT legitimate because they not actually from that employer.

In this scam, the real employer doesn’t have anything to do with the posting. This scam abuses a legitimate employer’s identity. The scammers are advertising bogus jobs that are completely unrelated to the legitimate employer named on the site