We live in a digital world and it had made it so easy for us to seek different opportunities remotely/online. But within this search, sometimes we fall into a trap. A trap that can take years to be solved. A trap that is what we called as an “online work fraud” or “an online work scam”. With the advent of new technology and new programs paving their way into the market, new scams abound every day. Depending on how far technology has progressed over the last couple of years, it can get quite difficult for a person to tell what’s a scam and what is not.
Having said that, if you do think you have fallen victim to an online work scam or threat that something that you had been following recently is fishy, here are 5 simple things of which if you are aware of, you can make sure you or others are not affected by these fraud jobs.
Verify the Employer’s Identity
There are many steps one needs to take to ensure that the potential employer is legitimate, such as conducting thorough verification steps. Firstly, you need to verify that the company mentioned in the job posting exists and whether the recruiter or hiring manager has any connections to the company. To mitigate the risk of falling victim to fraudulent job scams, don’t accept job offers via email, phone, or chat apps. Instead politely ask to have a face to face conversation or at least a video meeting. It is okay to be cautious and take your time to research before committing to anything, especially if a job offer seems too good to be true. Just be sure to trust your gut and take some time before committing.
Avoid Sharing Confidential Data
You are not bound to share your any kind of personal information until and unless you have signed the contract and are a part of that company. The only time you’ll have to provide your banking details to a legitimate employer is when you have signed a contract and are setting up direct deposit. Even then, the employer will only ask you for your bank name and account number, not your username and password for online banking. Apart from the banking details, the scammers might also intend to send the picture of your Citizen Nationality Card. Remember, you are not inherent for this. Furthermore, even before entering any of your personal information on any survey form or website for job seeking, double check that the website is authentic with the https domain and is not giving you the alert of insecure website.
Remember! You Get Paid for the Job, You Don’t Pay for it!
Be mindful that you don’t have to pay for any job. Even if it’s an internship or training, they are required to compensate you, not the other way around. So if a job is asking you for any application fees or any training charges, promising you learning and experience and commission return, most likely it’s nothing but a scam. It’s the most used technique of these scammers, they charge you money and then they get dispersed somewhere blocking all means through which you can contact them. Be mindful of this and ensure so that your hard earn money stays safe and secure.
Research on the Company – Check it’s Digital Presence
When exploring potential online jobs, it is a good idea to prioritize thorough research in order to stay on the safe side of potential scams. One of the primary steps is to look at the company’s digital presence. A professional company typically maintain a professional website that contains extensive information about their company and its operations, job openings, and contact information. By cross-referencing this information against other online sources, you can ensure that this information is accurate and not fake. Furthermore, take a look at the company’s social media platforms in order to determine the extent of their activity and engagement. Watch for signs of a lack of credibility such as paid followers or inconsistent branding. You can avoid potential online job scams by carefully examining a company’s digital/online presence.
Don’t Accept an Offer that you Didn’t Apply For
You should always be cautious when receiving unexpected job offers. While receiving these offers might seem exciting at first, it is important to exercise caution. Often, scammers use unsolicited job offers as a method of luring unsuspecting individuals into their scam schemes. In order to qualify for a job, you need to go through a structured recruiting process, which includes job postings, applications, and interviews. If you receive an offer out of the blue for a job you haven’t applied for, this is a red flag that you should investigate further.
Remember, as the digital world opens more opportunities, it also opens the gate to possibility of more work scams and frauds. If you want to make sure you have a safe and rewarding job search experience in the digital age, then be diligent and scrutinize every step of the way.