New Years jobseekers warned not to become targets of scams

The Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) has partnered with JobsAware to share advice with jobseekers to raise awareness of job scams.

With January and February among the top time of year to begin the search for a new job, it is also a busy time for those targeting jobseekers with fake adverts designed to get identity details or money from applicants.

The campaign has highlighted seven signs of job scams should look out for that should raise red flags for jobseekers:

1. Poorly written adverts, or ones that withhold basic information about a role such as duties, desired experience and skills, working hours and salary information.
2. Suspicious or absent contact details for the recruiter or hiring manager.
3. Unrealistic salary offer that is significantly higher for comparable positions with other companies.
4. A job offer with an interview or meeting with the hiring manager or recruiter.
5. Demands for money before starting the position. The cost of training, uniforms and DBS checks should be covered by employers in most instances.
6. Illegitimate companies or emails – the Companies House website allows anyone to search for records of UK companies to check it exists.
7. UK website domains – while online positions for companies based overseas do exist, be sure to do additional research when applying to jobs with contact details from outside the UK.

Dr Suzanne Smith, Barring and Safeguarding Director for the DBS, said:

“Job search trends show that the start of a New Year in January, and into February, see high numbers going online to find new employment opportunities. Often people can be keen in their pursuit of what might seem to be the perfect job on the surface, leaving themselves vulnerable to scams.

“Taking some simple steps to spot potential job advert red flags could save you time, stress, money and a lot of heartache.”

Keith Rosser, Chair of JobsAware, said:

“Job scams continue to bring misery to people looking for work. In January we anticipate we will receive more than double the number of reports of monetary losses due to job scams when compared with December.

“With the increase in remote job opportunities since the pandemic and the advance of technology making a lot of hiring virtual, it is increasingly easy for fraudsters to fool job seekers. In a recent JobsAware survey, 74% of jobseekers reported applying for at least one job they suspected did not exist.

“It is important when applying for work to look out for the 7 tell-tale signs and, if in doubt, JobsAware provides free help and advice. If it seems too good to be true, that’s because most of the time it is.”