If you are unemployed and actively looking for a job, you have probably tried the impossible. In times of crisis (it must be remembered that in Spain there are still 3,476,528 unemployed) there are those who try to take advantage of the situation.
A recently published report by the Adecco group puts on the table that 20.2% of the unemployed have ever received a fraudulent job offer. In many of them, they are required to pay a certain amount in order to qualify for the position. Unfortunately, 12.4% of the unemployed say they have paid at some point. Or that he would be willing to do it in order to get a job.
But this is not the only fraud job seekers are exposed to . In addition to cheating money, there are criminal organizations that pursue the objective of obtaining financial and personal information. Its purpose? Negotiate with it and resell it to third parties.
Hasn't fraud been reduced with the improvement of the economy?
The timid economic recovery that is taking place in most sectors does not seem to have helped . Logic tells us that, after the worst phase of the storm, this type of fraud should have been reduced. But no. The same Adecco study warns that the opposite effect has occurred.
And in fact, scammers are taking advantage of those whose plight is even more desperate . In them they have found a vein, which involves asking for money, confidential data or bank account numbers. Also for requesting calls to premium rate numbers.
Job portals control scams
Portals such as InfoJobs, the most important at the state level in candidates and offers, have noticed this circumstance. For their part, they tell us, they are carrying out an exhaustive review of the offers that companies publish daily.
It should be remembered, however, that companies are responsible for entering the information of their vacancies and uploading it to the platform. This can cause fraudulent offers to appear at some point. Although they correspond to a very small part of what is published on these types of platforms, job candidates have to pay attention to any sign that indicates that an offer is indeed fraudulent .
“When InfoJobs detects a fraudulent or discriminatory offer , a team of experts is in charge of analyzing it in detail. In this way we confirm if it really violates the rules of use. If the offer is not correct - because it is discriminatory, for example - the company is urged to modify the offer ”, they indicate from the portal.
In the case of those vacancies published that clearly constitute fraud, " from InfoJobs we eliminate the offer and cancel the company to prevent it from publishing new offers," they add.
The most common fake offers
InfoJobs has identified the most common false offers. You can find them published anywhere, so although these types of portals carry out periodic reviews and controls, it is always advisable to be careful.
Do manual tasks from home or fill out surveys
It could be a good solution for someone who is unemployed and cannot move around too much from home, right? It is the vein that scammers use to hook people who are unemployed and urgently in need of extra income. Typically, advertisers are asking for the candidate to wire them money to reserve their position. You never have to pay for any job offer.
More of the same is true of offers that promise quick money for filling out surveys . Typically, candidates have to pay to access these forms. Forget about it. This is nothing more than a fraud.
Call an 806 number for information or click on a link
We have warned you that you never have to pay for a job offer. Nor do you call 806 numbers . They are premium-priced and are often associated with fraud complaints. Offers must always provide all the necessary information. And in any case, if the company is interested, it will be the one that should contact you to offer you more information or to arrange an interview.
Be very careful with the links. Sometimes they can transfer you to disreputable sites. And invite you to enter personal data, very succulent for scammers.
Invest in gold
In gold or any other dubious business. Investments are investments. And they must be left to the experts. In these types of offers, which are also very common, unsuspecting candidates are asked to make a small initial investment , which will then supposedly lead them to earn a lot of money. Once the payment is received, the criminals disappear forever.
Work abroad
Working outside your country in what you like can be a great opportunity to learn and have new experiences. But be very careful. Another recurring scam is this, in which candidates are offered a job with great conditions and a very high remuneration .
In these cases, they usually ask the candidate to deposit money in advance, with the aim of managing a supposed contract. Or to buy airline tickets.
Provide personal and private data
Another objective that scammers pursue is to obtain personal and private data of the candidates. First, they may ask you for information such as your bank account or credit card number . They may also ask you for other personal information, with the aim of selling it to third parties. They probably use it for other fraudulent purposes.
4 golden tips to identify a fraudulent offer
The video you see above, created by Infojobs, offers us a series of tips to identify this type of fraud. Although criminals' strategies can be very varied, it is important that you are clear that:
1. You never have to pay to sign up for a job offer
Don't pay anything. It does not matter if it is a symbolic payment or a large investment. Opting for a vacancy must never involve an outlay on the part of the candidate.
2. Don't give out confidential information
It is important that you are very clear that you should never provide confidential information. This includes: social security numbers, bank details, and credit cards. Also, do not offer your DNI / NIE number or telephone number if you think it is a fraudulent offer. Your contact numbers, only to offers from validated and trusted companies.
3. Be careful with bargain offers
Miraculous investments, stratospheric benefits, overpaid jobs ... Be wary of bargains. Look at the offer with a magnifying glass and be reasonable.
4. Find out about the company that contacts you
If you have received a phone call or an email, ask and clearly identify the offer that contacts you. Portals like InfoJobs do not call the candidates, because they do not intervene in the selection processes. If what you hear sounds strange to you, be suspicious. You may be the victim of fraud.
Remember to sign up for offers from trusted sites
Scammers take advantage of any means to sneak their fraudulent offers and try to reach you. If you receive messages through WhatsApp with job offers that look like gifts from the sky , examine them carefully. Do not click on links whose origin is not clear and forget about visiting strange pages.
In any case, we recommend you sign up for offers from trusted sites such as InfoJobs (scammers have it very difficult to publish offers here). Or through the forms on the official pages of the companies. If your contacts, friends or family are also looking for work, it would be interesting for you to send them these tips . It is the only way, as with viruses, to stop the activity of these criminal organizations.