Avoid scams targeting job hunters

Posted by SearchWest on 11 September 2009 | 5 Comments

Tags: Candidates, September 2009

The economy may be showing signs of recovery, but it is still challenging to find work in B.C. The Better Business Bureau is concerned that those out-of-work are also becoming targets of scammers looking to take advantage of those who are already facing a tough financial situation, warns the Better Business Bureau.

“Job scams crop up in an extremely competitive job market,” said BBB president and CEO Lynda Pasacreta. “Scammers have set their sights on the unemployed because these people are vulnerable and looking for any decent work opportunities.”
BBB advises job hunters to beware of:
• Job offers that require an upfront fee
Job hunters should never have to pay money up front to be considered for a job. If a potential employer asks for the job hunter to pay the company to cover the costs of testing, training or background checks, it should be considered a red flag.

• Job placement assistance that makes big promises but can’t deliver
Job placement companies often do not charge the job seekers for help finding a job, but are instead paid by companies that need help filling positions. Some job placement companies, however, have been taking money from job hunters and not fulfilling their promises of quick employment.

Advice: Always research a job placement company first with BBB before signing any contracts or paying any money. Be extremely cautious about terms like “no experience required” or “guaranteed work” and ask for the contract upfront to see what the placement terms are.

• Phishing attempts by ID thieves pretending to be real businesses
Identity thieves employ many different methods for getting personal financial information from job hunters. Spam e-mail might offer a great opportunity and direct the job hunter to a website that is designed to install malware on his or her computer or solicit bank account or social insurance numbers. In other cases, the job hunter might even be asked to submit a resumé, find out they’ve been hired and then immediately be asked for bank account information or social insurance numbers.
Advice: Be extremely cautious when responding to unsolicited e-mails from supposed employers—even if the company name is well-known—and do not click on any links in the e-mail until having vetted the company fully and can confirm that the e-mail came from a legitimate source. Verify that the company has a physical address.

**As taken from Employment Paper. The Employment Paper has connected opportunity seekers with employers and career training providers for more than 20 years. Distributed to over 1,000 locations, the Employment Paper is Metro Vancouver's source for finding success. More information at http://www.employmentinvancouver.com/