Word of caution when applying for jobs.

18 Comments

1. AnonymousDecember 23,2023 at 1:43AM UTC

   And as the economy worsens, the scams WILL increase

2. AnonymousDecember 23,2023 at 2:20AM UTC

   Good for you for being so diligent. It seems that scams have multiplied this year at an alarming rate.

3. Joan Williams, Senior Talent Acquisition SpecialistDecember 23,2023 at 5:22AM UTC

   Good for you for catching this!
   As a general rule, no legitimate company will charge a candidate money or refer them to another company that will charge them money to get hired.

   Another common scam is to tell the candidates that they are hired and they need to purchase equipment that will be reimbursed. The most common scam I have heard is a computer - probably because it's the most expensive - no legitimate company's IT security would ever let an employee buy their own laptop..

4. AnonymousDecember 23,2023 at 9:21PM UTC

   You were right to delete it. Nobody should have to spend money to get a job. Credit checks should be banned anyway, in my opinion; it's NOTB and poor credit is not correlated to whether someone's likely to steal or not.

5. AnonymousDecember 24,2023 at 4:50PM UTC

   Nope! Run!

6. AnonymousDecember 24,2023 at 5:23PM UTC

   There are plenty of job scams getting past somewhat reliable job posting resources.
   I’ve gotten several that hijack company logos and are at least aware enough to pretend to be first or last names of real staff. But when checking the actual company info (separate tab and type into Google), you see a small business with a small staff, named and titled, and it’s just really off. The reply email is always positive and I’ve even had texts (two different “companies” using the same text number and different names with different contact emails to a business email that isn’t quite correct to the real company). The fact these scammers are using companies that aren’t big is the issue… these small companies can’t do anything. But I forwarded the emails I’ve received to the hijacked companies, the link to the job post, and I let them know they are being targeted and used by scammers. I want to at least give them the opportunity to prevent further instances of this. IMO, it’s best to always do a Google search on the company for the job post. Otherwise, you’re sending your personal contact info and often your address to scammers who may use that info. I have since changed to a mailing address (po box), locked my credit cards and diligently check my finances weekly and opt in to notifications about any charges or withdrawals. The preying on people who have little by people who want to take everything is shocking and upsetting. Protect yourselves as best you can. If you’re job hunting, you’re a target!

7. AnonymousDecember 26,2023 at 2:43PM UTC

   I would report this to the job board. No company should ever have you pay for a credit score. If they want that they can run it as part of a background check.

   One way to double-check that a posting is legit is to check the company's career board.

8. LoriDecember 26,2023 at 5:13PM UTC

   Been seeing this scam for a few years. NO company should be making you pay for anything upfront. Not even a finance company would make you do that that early in the game nor even make you pay for it. If you can flag and or report, do so.

9. KennirayeDecember 27,2023 at 1:13PM UTC

   Thank you for sharing. I am in the process of transitioning to another profession as well. Great advice on what to look out for when applying.

10. Carine GordonDecember 27,2023 at 2:48PM UTC

    Oldest trick in the book. So frustrating.

11. AyianDecember 27,2023 at 3:10PM UTC

    Any job application process that requires you to pay money for anything other than travel to get there is a scam. Never click on links asking for payment. You may pick up Internet germs even if you don't give them money.

12. Rosa GoesDecember 27,2023 at 5:21PM UTC

    Thank you for letting us know! I always hover over links, especially the sender's email. If I didn't request whatever they are emailing or don't recognize the name, I delete the email. The poster who mentioned using Google to further research is a good suggestion.

13. AnonymousDecember 27,2023 at 7:47PM UTC

    Thank you for the important reminder. Never ever never provide a credit card number to anyone. Also, I noticed some applications are asking for my social security number-uuuh... NO.

14. Charvass TaylorDecember 27,2023 at 8:36PM UTC

    These scammers are getting desperate.

15. AnonymousDecember 28,2023 at 3:28AM UTC

    thank you for calling this out. I have seen a lot of scam jobs even on the legit job boards and apps. A lot of them going around too where the place will send you a check to cash as advance payment and/or for home office supplies and it turns out the check is bad.

16. Corinne WilhelmDecember 28,2023 at 2:50PM UTC

    Good on you for being prudent and thank you for sharing.

17. Michelle WalshDecember 28,2023 at 5:57PM UTC

    Someone actually sent "Job Offers" via LinkedIn using my name. I had enough people reach out to me directly that we were able to raise the red flag to LinkedIn. These people were sending people a check for 6K in order to purchase office equipment. Once cashed, apparently the scammers then had access to banking information.

    Look carefully - anyone asking for, or offering you money for something is probably a scam.

18. Dawn BFebruary 28,2024 at 1:49PM UTC

    Thank you, for warning others