Got a job offer that is too good to be true? Hold on! You may be in for a scam.
A Kerala-based woman recently lost over ₹7 lakh to a fake job offer that she received on Telegram. As per reports published on Monday, the woman from Kunnukara in Paravoor tried earning some money by “working from home”, an offer she got from a company called www.ratingdsys.com. The 'job' was easy: 'rate and review various online services within the Ixigo live service company'.
After building trust, the scammers convinced the woman to invest in the venture, saying it would double her money. Next thing she knows: she had lost her money.
Job scams have become so common lately that most of us would know someone who has fallen for such a fraud. So, how do you spot these scams and save yourself from losing that hard-earned money? While the scammers are finding new ways for people to fall prey, requiring one to be extremely alert, there are patterns that should serve as red flags in job search. Here are some of them:
Unrealistic offer: As mentioned earlier, if a job offer sounds too good to be true, it indeed could be. Usually, these 'jobs' offer unusually high salaries for hardly any work to be done for potential victims who would be tempted to go ahead with them.
Asking for an upfront payment: Genuine companies don't ask one to make any upfront payment in any form during the hiring process. If you have been asked to pay a processing or membership fee, it is a red flag and you should immediately step back.
Asking to share personal information: If you have been asked to share information like bank details, password, your social security number, you must know it is not for a genuine job offer.
Also Read: Fear of job loss? Here are 5 best ways to prepare for it
Poor language: Scammers usually tend to underestimate language accuracy. Genuine firms pay attention to language and every small detail about job posting. Mistakes in job postings are clear red flags.
Fake website: Check if the website they are reaching out to you through looks genuine or not. Ensure the URL starts with 'https' and protected with an SSL certificate, a digital certificate that authenticates a website's identity .
'Work from home' offer: As in the case mentioned above, scammers are taking advantage of people's desire to work from home permanently. They offer a huge sum of money for a few hours of work with flexible timings. Next time you come across something on similar lines, better stay away .
Through emails and texts: A 'job' walking into your inbox is not a job. You may receive emails and messages offering jobs you haven't applied for. These include WhatsApp messages and emails with links and phone numbers to call back to for guaranteed jobs with tempting income and flexible work hours.
Instincts speak volume: If you, at any point, feel something is not right, walk away.
