Job Scam Alert!

We all know that unemployment is a big issue in our country. So many of us are desperate to get jobs and are willing to do whatever it takes to get a job. Some people out there see this as an opportunity to scam the poor and desperate job seekers, sometimes when you are; desperate you can’t even tell if a job is a scam or if it is legit but also some of these scammers are way too good. Among their strategies are stealing actual job descriptions from businesses, utilizing authentic company logos, and even posing as HR or recruiters. To entice job seekers, they might even go so far as to make phony websites and LinkedIn profiles that resemble the executives of the company.

Job posts lookouts:

• Look for grammar and spelling errors, yes mistakes do happen but most job scams are poorly written
• The email address must be a business/professional
• The salary is way higher than what the market is offering
• You receive a job offer immediately, without having applied to an open position, spoken with a hiring manager, or participated in an interview.
• Nowadays they use professional websites, the interview venue will be a hotel or some flats (This is where we lose our sisters, human trafficking )

Interviews invite lookout:

• The invitation comes via SMS (cellphone number )
• The interview time is way too early e.g. 7:00 a.m. or 7:30 a.m.
• You receive an email asking you to fax documents the fax number will be 0866……
• The email address won’t have any other form of contact like office numbers
• They send you forms to fill out and send back together with proof of payment
• They contact you in odd hours

Examples of job interview scams

How to protect yourself from job scams:

• Always do your research
• Trust your instinct
• Ask for a second opinion from your friends and family, they might validate your concerns.?
• Protect your personal information i.e. do not be give away your banking details, ID copies, or your whereabouts. Legit recruiters will not ask for this info from the on-set
• Don't click on suspicious links sent through email or text messages.

Job hunting can be very stressful and draining but please be careful and always protect yourself. Trust your instinct, and always let someone know about your interview.

NEVER PAY FOR A JOB!!!!!!!!!!

Report job scams on www.safps.org.za or contact the Department of Labour on 0800 030 007

Matale Lehong