Safe job seeking
Does the JobsAware initiative make a real difference?
JobsAware wants to make finding work safer for everyone. We work with companies like job boards and recruitment agencies to make work better for people looking for jobs and those who don’t have permanent jobs.
Although recruitment agencies and job boards are usually in a competitive market, they all agree that it is important to protect the industry’s reputation and give job-seekers confidence by prioritizing the prevention of fraud for a safer job search.
Why are people and companies at risk of being tricked by job scams. For people, the danger usually arises when they provide excessive personal details without knowing why it is requested or how it will be used. Similarly, organizations can be taken advantage of when they have weak internal control systems.
What makes individuals and organizations vulnerable to attack from employment fraud?
For people, the danger often happens when they share too much personal information without knowing why it’s needed or how it will be used.Similarly, if organizations have weaknesses in their internal controls, those weaknesses can be taken advantage of.
What happens to victims of employment fraud?
Like other scams, the common result is that the person who was tricked loses money or personal information without gaining anything in return. Victims may also feel like they can’t trust or have faith in their job search anymore.
Aren’t the fraudsters always a step ahead?
Fraudsters are always looking for a new opportunity, however the majority of threats are repeats of what has been tried before. The widespread sharing of experiences as well as immediate reporting will limit the opportunity for repeat actions and quickly disrupt any new attempts.
Are you sure rival companies can work constructively together?
Yes – by taking away the argumentative part and focusing on the advantages gained from working together that JobsAware is advocating. It has already shown that we can easily implement measures to prevent fraud without affecting business competition and keep job seekers safe.
Types of job scams
Phishing
Every website is dealing with more and more problems of people using information dishonestly. We want to help job seekers by telling them about the scams happening, the signs to watch out for, and what they can do to keep themselves safe.
Today, spam email is very common. You might think you know what to look for, but it can actually be harder to spot two types of email scams called “phishing” and “spoofing. ”
Both practices involve sending fake email messages that make it look like they were sent from a different place or person than they actually were.
What’s ‘phishing’ all about – and how do I spot it?
Phishing emails are fake messages that trick people into giving away their personal information and bank details. They might also try to make the person download harmful programs. The message will often say there are problems with the person’s account that need to be fixed right away. The message will give a link to a fake website and ask the person to give personal or account details or download harmful software.
A trustworthy organization usually won’t ask you to download software to access your account or use their services. But there may be cases where they request you to download their app or click a link for a specific reason. If you get an email that you weren’t expecting, don’t click on it. Try asking questions to find out if it’s a real request.
What is the difference between ‘phishing’ and ‘spoofing’?
Phishing aims to get important information, while spoofing is about stealing someone’s identity.
Spoofing means tricking someone by using a fake email or IP address that looks real. Spoofing is a type of cybercrime where someone pretends to be someone you trust, like a friend or a popular company, in order to get your important personal information.
What is meant by the phrase ‘Money Mule’?
A money mule is someone who helps move stolen money for someone else by using their own bank account. Criminals contact people and pay them money to put it in their bank account and send it to another account. This person is called a ‘money mule’.
What is the money used for?
The money that money mules move around is usually stolen. It is then used to support various illegal activities, such as selling drugs, exploiting people sexually, committing frauds and scams, trafficking humans, and even supporting terrorism.
Why would someone become a money mule?
Criminals often go after people who are vulnerable and need money. Students are often an easy target for this, and sometimes they don’t even realize they have committed a crime.
How do criminals target money mules?
You could be contacted by people trying to deceive you either on the internet or in real life. They may put up a job ad that seems real, but then they will request your bank information for things like online training or a background check.
Once you start being a money mule, it can be difficult to quit. If you don’t let criminals use your account, they might attack or threaten you physically.
Don’t be fooled by promises of easy money, because criminals use people to help hide their illegal money.
What are the repercussions of being a money mule?
There are many repercussions that could be felt if you become a money mule. Here are some of the most common and troubling:
Your bank account will be closed
You will have problems applying for credit
You will find it hard to access further student loans
You will find it difficult to get a phone contract
You could go to prison for up to 14 years
What should I do if I think I am being or I have been used as a money mule?
First, you need to call your local police and tell them what happened.
You should tell your Bank or Building Society so they know about it. They will put this information into the financial intelligence system, which will keep an eye on any more transactions and might help stop similar things from happening again.
Moreover, make sure to inform JobsAware about it.
How to spot a fake job
Pay attention to fake emails or messages pretending to offer job opportunities.
Dishonest people sometimes pretend to work for a company and deceive others by claiming to offer job openings on behalf of that company. If you get an email about a job you didn’t apply for, it might be a scam. It’s better to be cautious and not click on any links in the email.
Be careful with email job offers that promise to make you wealthy fast and offer very high pay for part-time work. They may also ask you to pay money upfront to get the job.
A reputable employer/agency will not request payment from you in order to work for them.
If you ever feel worried, do your own investigation to check if this request is real.
If you are not sure if the email/message and/or link you have is real, don’t go ahead because it might be fake.