As fresh graduates stand on the threshold of their professional journey, the transition from academia to the job market marks a pivotal moment in their lives. Armed with knowledge, ambition, and a thirst for new challenges, these young professionals and students are poised to make their mark in the world of work. However, it’s crucial to navigate this terrain with caution and discernment. In today’s digitally advanced era, the job hunting landscape has undergone a significant transformation, but regrettably, it has also witnessed a troubling surge in job scams.
According to a recent Hirect report, 56% of Indian job seekers have fallen victim to scams during their search. Of this, those between 20 and 29 years appear to be particularly vulnerable to scams and fraudulent offers. Scammers employ a strategic approach, targeting a wide range of potential job applicants, making enticing yet unreal promises on behalf of entirely fictitious companies. This often involves the sharing of a fraudulent bank account number, convincing candidates to deposit a certain sum as an advance payment. Such tactics have ensnared a significant number of unsuspecting candidates, leading to substantial losses both in terms money and time, along with the compromise of confidential information.
Fake job postings on e-mails and work-from-home options look inviting and candidates often pay enrollment fees to register. On social media, scammers use various platforms to attract potential applicants and create counterfeit websites for applications to dupe applicants into making advance payments. Another method is fraud calls involve scammers impersonating employers and soliciting money from job seekers.
Here are some tips on how students can combat such scams.
Safeguard privacy: Protecting online privacy is vital in the job search. Usage of tools like antivirus, password managers, and ad blockers can help prevent scams and attacks. Most importantly, one must report phishing emails promptly to stop further scams.
URL check: Scam emails are often sent from very abrupt e-mail addresses whereas a legitimate company will always share emails from its official URL, which will have the company’s official name in it. This web address incorporates the company’s precise name. For example, if a company were to send an email to a potential candidate, the format of the sender’s address would typically be ‘employeename@companyname.com’.
Thorough screening: Every company has a Human Resources department in place, responsible for conducting a comprehensive evaluation of each candidate. This entails a multi-stage process, involving multiple rounds of interviews. Following these assessments, the company makes a decision regarding the candidate’s onboarding, and subsequently notifies the selected candidates through an official confirmation email. It is important to note that any fraudulent emails offering a job without undergoing the standard screening process should be treated with caution.
Research and Dispersion (R and D): Candidates should thoroughly investigate whether the job postings flooding their LinkedIn, email, Instagram, or Facebook are genuine. Equally important is sharing accurate information with relevant stakeholders to reduce the rate of scams. This will empower individuals and organisations to stay vigilant, make informed decisions, and take proactive steps to protect themselves.
Become the grammar police: Legitimate job postings are meticulously proofread, resulting in minimal grammatical or spelling errors. In contrast, fraudulent postings often contain numerous grammatical and spelling mistakes. Recognising this discrepancy can aid job applicants in distinguishing between authentic and deceptive job advertisements.
Watch out for payday paradise: Candidates must be aware of postings that promise an extremely high salary and, moreover, postings that disclose the pay package on the mail body. This is a glaring red flag, as reputable companies never divulge confidential information on public forums.
Monetary requirement: The primary goal of every job scam is to extract money from unsuspecting applicants. A legitimate company, however, will never demand deposits or advance payments as a condition of employment. Job seekers must keep an eye out for postings that request monetary commitments. To verify authenticity, candidates should visit the company in person if possible, or contact them through their official website to confirm that emails requesting deposits are not fraudulent.
To safeguard oneself from job scams, it is crucial to be mindful of the platforms used for job hunting, ensuring they are authentic and legitimate. Most importantly, circulating accurate information can collectively prevent these occurrences and create a safer job market.
The writer is the Managing Director and Co-Founder of SRV Media Pvt Ltd.
