How To Check If A Job Is Fake Or Not

With the increasing difficulty of landing a job, it’s easy for people to fall prey to scammers. It’s hard to know which jobs are legit and which are not. The harsh reality of job searching is that there are many scammers who put up all sorts of fake positions on different job boards. If you are vulnerable and desperate for a job, it’s easy to be caught in these traps.

No matter how much you need a job, you should always be vigilant and do your due diligence before you apply for a position. Always watch out for jobs that don’t appear to be realistic and stay away from them. And if you have been a victim before, this article will help you not repeat the same mistakes.

To help you stay out of such schemes, we have put together some tips that will help you identified a fake job post. Read along and see if that exciting new position you found could be just another scam. 

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If It’s Too Good To Be True

Always trust your instinct when you are going through the job postings. If the offer is simply just too good to be true, then it is probably a scam. For instance, a starting position that offers over $60,000 is very unlikely. If such offers ever appear in your email, discard them immediately.

Unclear Job Description

Scammers usually list duties and requirements but often forget the skills or even the educational background required. If you ever find a job with a half-filled out description, then it is likely a scam. If you want, you can email them and ask for a full description. However, don’t be surprised if they tell you not to worry as comprehensive training will be offered on the job. If you get such a response, do not pursue the job any further.

Chat Interview

You applied and you were shortlisted; now is the time for an interview – via WhatsApp or Facebook Messenger. Perhaps you should first ask yourself, what legit company in their sober mind interviews a candidate via chat? In such cases, they often give you details on how to set up a yahoo account, and usually, this is done to steal your identity.

If the company is legit, they will ask you to attend the interview in person, and if you are overseas, most probably, they will set up a meeting via a more professional platform like Skype or Zoom.

When You Need To Move Or Pay Money

No matter how desperate you are, never accept a job that requires you to transfer money from one account to another. Sometimes they will try to convince you to send a check to the bank and send the balance to a different account, ask them to do it themselves. Never trust anyone online with your money – ever. Some might even ask you to send money to process papers for you. However, this is all fake, so don’t fall for it.

They Move Too Fast

Have you ever applied to a job that didn’t give you any time to breathe? If immediately after you apply, you are sent application forms to fill out and are quickly pushed into the position, something is not right. They never allow you time to breathe and think through the whole process. In most cases, these jobs are usually not legit. If you ever come across a job like that, try not to get swept up in the excitement of getting ‘hired’.

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Bottom Line

When you are desperate for a job, it’s very easy to fall victim to scams and fake postings. However, with the right tips, you can beat them at their own game. That being said, these scammers are smart and will always come up with new tricks, so you always need to remain vigilant.