Worried about job scams? Avoid them with advice from Adecco.

Are you worried about job scams? You're not alone. Every day, job seekers are targeted by scammers online and by phone (American job seekers have lost $68 million to job scams this year alone).

If you’re currently looking for employment, you need to learn about job scams and how to avoid them. In this article, we cover everything you need to know to identify job scams and find employment safely through Adecco!

What are recruiting scams and how do they work?

Recruiting scams are essentially fake job offers that are designed to get personal or financial information from unsuspecting job seekers. Scammers pose as reputable companies or headhunters and contact job seekers by email, text message, social media, or phone. They often ask for your social security number, home address, copies of your ID, or even bank details.

Once they have your information, scammers can easily steal your identity or your money. Research shows that scammers usually take around $1,000 from their victims, operate on job boards like Indeed and LinkedIn, and are more likely to target people aged 25-34.

How scammers mimic real companies

Job scams are becoming increasingly sophisticated and hard to spot as scammers are better able to mimic well-known companies. They do this by creating online job vacancies on websites like LinkedIn under the name of a real company. At first glance, these vacancies look normal and might match other job postings by authentic employers. Scammers may even create fake websites that are almost identical to a company’s real site. They then send out emails with company branding and call you pretending to be a recruiter.

Job scams have changed since the pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic led to a rise in remote work. People are eager to work from home, and companies commonly promote remote or hybrid work schemes. Unfortunately, scammers have also caught on to this trend by offering well-paid remote jobs that are highly attractive to job seekers.

A common work-from-home scam is product repackaging. Scammers say you’ll be paid to receive products at your home so that you can repackage them and send them to another address. These products are usually stolen or purchased using stolen credit cards. Victims of this scam either have their data stolen or never get paid.

Another similar scam is re-selling or “flipping” products. After paying for products that can sell at a higher price online, victims report not receiving any items or even getting multiple unauthorized charges to their account.

How to spot a scam

Here are some common indicators that you’re being targeted by fraudsters:

Suspicious emails – If you receive an email from a recruiter, make sure to check the sender’s email address. If it’s a generic @gmail.com type address, then it’s likely not associated with a legitimate employer. Genuine recruiters always contact you from an official company email.

Recruiter asks for sensitive information – Recruiters don’t ask for sensitive data like social security numbers early in the recruitment process. If a potential employer asks you for this before presenting a formal job offer from an official company email, then you could be speaking to a scammer.

A vacancy is too good to be true – It’s easy to be swept away by an amazing job offer with great pay and incredible perks. Before you apply, ask yourself: Is this too good to be true? An entry-level job that pays $100,000 a year with no experience needed is probably fake, so make sure to keep a level head when looking at job posts online.

Recruiter acts unprofessionally – Job scammers can sometimes behave differently from real recruiters. Refusing to get on a video call, not providing job details, contacting you outside of office hours, or acting rude and overbearing are all massive red flags!

How to confirm it’s a scam

If you suspect that a vacancy is fake or a recruiter is a scammer, you need to do some thorough research. To confirm that a job offer is real, visit the company website and LinkedIn profile. If the position is not posted on any official company platforms, then it may not exist.

To remove any doubt, it's best to contact the company directly. This is the only 100% effective way to confirm that a job vacancy is genuine and that you're talking to a real recruiter. Do your research and find a real company e-mail address and telephone number. Do not use an e-mail or telephone that's been provided to you by someone who says they're a recruiter.

Staffing firms are a safe way to find work

Staffing firms are one of the best ways to find employment and avoid scams. Staffing companies like Adecco are in direct contact with top employers and only offer verified positions, guaranteeing that you don’t fall victim to scams. 

The best part? We never charge you a penny. When you find a job through Adecco, 100% of your pay goes to you. We don’t charge fees or commission to our associates. That’s why thousands of job seekers trust Adecco every day.

Do you want to get started as an Adecco Associate? Check out our latest job openings and contact your local Adecco branch for expert career advice.