Job scams are common and have intensified in the digital age. As unemployment rises, job seekers increasingly become easy targets for scammers.
By the end of 2024, unemployment stood at 12.7 per cent, with young people bearing the brunt. Nation spoke to two HR professionals—Mwikali Muthiani of MillennialHR and Nellie Akungu, a career coach—on how to avoid fraudsters posing as recruiters.
What are the telltale signs that a recruitment is a scam?
Are they communicating officially?
Mwikali: The platform through which a job offer is communicated should be your first point of verification. If it was a text message, check who the likely owner of the number is using apps such as Truecaller.
If there is an associated website, review it keenly. Is the organisation legit? how long has the organisation existed? What are the reviews?
Nellie: A rushed interview process is a good sign. Others include: Consistently cancelling interviews, using unofficial emails such as Gmail and Yahoo, as opposed to official company emails. Odd communication styles such as receiving WhatsApp messages at 3am in the morning.
Are they asking you for money?
Nellie : Usually they come up in conversations like: "We want you to pay for application processing". That is the most obvious sign that someone wants to get money out of you or the process is simply not legit.
If you are asked to pay at any point in the recruitment process, that is a mega red flag. Also, if the job is promising you the world, think twice.
Is information consistent?
Mwikali : Even on reputable platforms, do not take anything at face value. Check spellings of the names of organisations, and confirm that the account contacting you is active. Check for consistency.
Is the recruiter pretending to know you?
Mwikali : Beware of overfamiliarity. Be cautious when someone claims to know you but you cannot recall them. If they are trying to get you for a job, you have to be alert. Your CV can be found even on LinkedIn so even if someone seems to know you well, and they are offering you a job, do your background check, especially when you do not remember them.
We have had situations where a fake recruiter has recruited people on behalf of an entire organisation!
Please note: if someone is coming to you on behalf of an organisation, you should be able to meet at the organisation’s premises at some point. No recruiter will hire blindly from the beginning of the process to the end.
Are they assigning you work and calling it an assessment?
Nellie : When people who pose as employers give you unreasonable assessments and tasks to do. For example, you are given a topic to research on and bring back a presentation, or do a market comparison for their competitors.
I have been defrauded. Now what?
Mwikali : If a certain employer is mentioned, inform them. Not that they will refund any lost money, but you create awareness and the company can take steps to protect other would-be victims.
After that, follow the normal procedure of reporting a crime. If for nothing at all, you build a database that can provide evidence for similar cases in future.
Nellie : If someone from a legitimate company tries to defraud you, whistle blow. It is effective, especially if it is an individual posing as a representative of a company.
You can also share on social media. The action may not help you directly but it will save potential victims, especially when a job opportunity has gone viral on messaging apps.
