How To Identify A Fake Job Offer - 5 Points

With online fraud and crime rising amid the Coronavirus crisis, one needs to be careful about the job offers that they choose to believe or situations they get into. Here are 5 red signs that can protect you from becoming a victim of a fraudulent job opportunity.

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New Delhi: Because of the Coronavirus pandemic, work from home became the new normal. However, the unprecedented situation also brought in a sharp spike in online crime as many studies reported. So it is more likely that scammers may use this opportunity to con people by sending fake job offers.

With online fraudulent cases rising, one needs to be careful about the job offer that they choose to believe or situations they get into.

Here are 5 red signs that can protect you from becoming a victim of a fraudulent job opportunity:

1. Too Good To Be True: If the offer is very generous without any initiation on your part or negotiation – it may very likely be a trap. You need to exercise caution when responding to such emails or communication. Search details about the company on the internet and check the credentials of the person who sent you the email.
   
   
2. Vague Communication: Very often, scammers do not provide detailing and clarity about aspects of the job offer such as the job role and responsibility, perks, proposed compensation, etc. In this scenario, you can always ask for references within the company, people you can talk to – for checking about the opportunity further. Meanwhile, do your own digging within your contacts to know if someone who works there can verify this offer for you.
   
   
3. Transfer Of Money: Companies never ask employees to give money for any part of the employment process. In case, the person who sent you the job offer is asking for money, they may most likely be a fraud. Do not ever pay for getting employed.
   
   
4. Sensitive Information: Scamsters can take another route – instead of asking for money they may ask for your personal information that is sensitive and should not be revealed to another individual such as your bank account details, Aadhaar details, and more. These days hackers use harmless-looking links to hack into the account of their victims, then they extort money to give access back to the users. Never share sensitive information with unknown people or click on a link sent by such individuals.
   
   
5. Website: Sometimes the company may really be fake from the go and a simple google search can help find out about it. However, scammers may try to outsmart you by giving details of an existing company. In that case, you should visit their official website and check contact details to enquire about the job offer. If they list their vacancies, check that webpage also to be surer about the department and job role.

While hackers and other cyber criminals use more sophisticated ways to con innocent people, it becomes all the more important that we be aware of popular methods used by them to protect ourselves. In case despite exercising caution you get trapped in such an incident, contact the police or nodal cybersecurity department at the earliest.