Beware the Job Scam
A combination of today’s technology and a throttled job market has led to a range of scams being developed around the job seeking industry. The internet is the go to place when looking for new jobs. It has never been easier especially with online application options. Criminals know this and deliberately create attractive and appealing international job web sites offering exciting, well paid (often overseas) positions. These jobs appeal to the younger generation whose hunger for a well-paid, exciting job overrides any caution that would normally be exercised.
There are several and often multiple endgames with this type of scam, but let’s uncover a typical path.
ID Theft
The first course of action when applying for a job is to submit a CV. This cv outlines your complete educational and job history along with a range of personal details relating to you and your family. It often includes your passport and ID details and other potentially sensitive information that can be used to clone your identity should this information get into the wrong hands. Criminals operating these fake websites use your submitted information to create false documents or pretend to be you in making business calls.
Hacking your accounts
Normally once your CV is submitted, an online interview will be arranged. This is likely to be via an online communication service such Skype. The video function will not be activated (a range of excuses will cover this up) so that visual descriptions are not possible when and if the scam is ultimately reported. The interviewer will sound very professional, friendly and coherent. During the interview, they will extract additional personal information from you which could include your bank account details (so your salary can be deposited). Most certainly if you have an online email account (Hotmail, Yahoo or Gmail) the interviewer will cleverly introduce questions which are related to your ‘secret password questions’ that you typically create when you set up such an account. For example, your secret question to retrieve your password may be, “what was the name of your first pet?” The interviewer will start chatting about animals and eventually get onto your own experiences with pets and then get the name of your first pet and so on. Using this information, they can hack into a variety of your online accounts
Advance Fee Fraud
The most common end game in this scam however is the basis of most online, email and messaging scams and that is to get a cash amount from the victim. This scam endgame is the quickest and most effective for a short con. Essentially you will be advised that you have been successful in your application. Your start date is given to be within a few months and more often than not, in a foreign country. The scam artists will then extract as much cash as they can from you over the course of the next few weeks. The reasons for these cash deposits vary and include training certification, international visa clearance, administration costs, paying for your own flights etc. You will be told that all these fees will be refunded to with your first salary. Usually the scammer will follow up with emails and even a legitimate looking contract to buy as much time as possible and help create the illusion that the job is real. Eventually the victim will become suspicious and typically discover they have been scammed, unfortunately usually too late.
This is a very real scenario which plays out every day in South Africa and affects the cruise and hotel industry especially. Scams are an ever increasing criminal enterprise as the rewards are big and chances of being caught, slim so it is ever more important to be aware of how these scams operate and to inform as many people as possible. It is only though a full understanding of these scams, can one truly become scam proof. It is best to deal only with reputable hiring agencies or direct with the company you wish to apply to. If you do apply online, be even more vigilant that you check to ensure the website is the official channel for applications. Check the email addresses being used are linked to the company instead of online addresses which are easy to create. Be suspicious if you are asked for money upfront once you been promised a job, especially if you cannot trace the account. Be wary of being asked to conduct a skype interview without any verification process. It would be advisable to get all the interviewers details, then call the company and verify directly with the interviewer that you have scheduled skype interview with them. The cost of a quick, international call is a worthwhile safety net against a possible scam.
