Job scams are rising across the nation as scammers impersonate recruiters, tricking job seekers into giving them money or personal information.
The ruse involves a complex web of lies that includes using online platforms to create fake job listings from legitimate or fake employers.
The perpetrators may contact desperate, unemployed individuals directly with enticing offers, like high salaries for low-skilled work or often sought remote positions, the Associated Press reported.
One particular fake job ad involves luring job seekers into a cryptocurrency scam, warns the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Tehseen Islam, a quality assurance analyst, fell victim to a fake job scam.
After being "hired," she told the AP she received a fake check and was told to send $1,000 for equipment. When she complied, the check bounced, and her bank closed her account.
Experts such as Eva Velasquez, the president and CEO of the Identity Theft Resource Center, told the AP that job seekers need to properly verify job postings.
She said it can be done by looking up the validity of the job by going to the company's actual website, instead of a third-party website, and applying for the role.
If a recruiter contacts a job seeker online, don't answer until verifying their credentials.
Alvaro Puig, a consumer education specialist at the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) told the AP to avoid sharing sensitive information upfront, refrain from depositing suspicious checks and report any suspected scams to the FTC.
2024 has been a particularly difficult time for job seekers. According to a Monster survey, 95 percent of American workers are looking for new jobs after the Great Resignation, citing the need for higher income.
The Labor Department reported that the weekly jobless claims rose the largest in February. By August, jobless claims dropped to a four-month low, indicating a recovery in the job market.
The process of finding a job has become a job itself. Many unemployed individuals are paying for services like resume writing from recruiting firms and/or recruiters to stand out in a competitive job market.
Technology can help but can also lead to embarrassment. When one Gen Z job seeker used AI to help create a resume it led to disastrous results with a CEO calling them out about the mistake in a viral takedown.
