Whether you’re a fresh graduate or an employee looking to switch jobs, you’ll agree that the job market is saturated and tough to navigate. It doesn’t help that there are a lot of scammers looking to take advantage of unsuspecting job seekers. Sometimes, fake job ads are aimed at extorting, robbing or even kidnapping the victims.
Before you apply or accept a job offer that seems too good to be true, you should look out for these signs:
No Online Visibility
So, you got an email or text from a company inviting you for a job interview. You decided to look the company up on Google, but you couldn’t find any info on the company. There was no website, no social media, not even an article on the company. Unless they’re an undercover spy agency (which they’re definitely not), this company clearly doesn’t exist. It’s a scam.
Here’s a tip: ALWAYS do some research on any company you’re applying to; It’s the rule of thumb.
You’re Randomly Invited for An Interview
Companies will only invite you for an interview after you’ve applied for the job and your application has been reviewed. If you get an email or text from a company asking you to come over to an address for an interview, ignore it and move on.
You’re Required to Pay A Fee
No legit company will charge you an application fee or training fee, so if you’re asked to, see it as a warning sign and turn a blind eye to it.
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Unprofessional Emails
- No email subject. ⚠️
- Ridiculous spelling mistakes. ️⚠️
- Grammatical errors.⚠️
- Incoherent phrases and sentences.⚠️
- No contact info.⚠️
These are a few constituents of an unprofessional email from a job scammer. While some fake job ads might actually be well-written, the poorly written ones are common and easier to spot. Also, if the message is from a personal email address or doesn’t match the name of the company, you should be wary of it.
The Process Plays Out Like A Fairytale
In other words, it’s too good to be true. You didn’t apply to the company but they reached out to you, offered you a job and huge salary on the spot, told you to resume immediately at a location, no experience needed with no training promised. While this sounds like the perfect plot for an incredible story, you should be wary and take precautions.
Vague Job Description & Requirements
Professional job postings have specific and clearly stated job requirements to indicate their desired applicants. If you see a job posting with obscure requirements and description, jump and pass, dear.
Here’s an example:
‘Vacancy for IT admin officer. The candidate will be responsible for tech-related works and help with software development in the company. Interested candidates must be 18 and above, BSc. holder, Computer graduate, must have internet access, must have a laptop, quick to learn, salary is attractive. Click the link below to apply’
While some fake job ads might be clearer and better written than the one above, you should still endeavour to read carefully and ensure the description and requirements are coherent.
You’re Asked to Provide Confidential Info
Nothing says ‘Scam’ than being asked to provide confidential and private info to strangers online. A company has no business with your card number, BVN, birth certificate or any other info of such nature. If you receive an email asking you to click a link to provide some sensitive info, ignore it immediately. The scammers could use your info for fraudulent activities or sell it to a third party.
Searching for a job is quite stressful and you don’t need the added stress of fake job ads to deter you. Always do your research and ensure you pay extra attention to the tiny details. Good luck!
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