Don’t Be Deceived: How to Identify Social Media Job Scams Early On

As social media becomes an integral part of our daily lives, opportunistic cybercriminals are exploiting it to deceive individuals with fraudulent job opportunities. What exactly are these scams, and how can you recognize the warning signs?

With a significant portion of South Africans facing job insecurity, it’s no surprise that scams targeting job seekers are on the rise. “Cybercriminals continually adapt their tactics to exploit current trends,” notes Anna Collard, SVP Content Strategy and Evangelist at KnowBe4 AFRICA. “As job searches increasingly move to social media, so does the risk of recruitment-related fraud.”

Types of scams

There are two primary types of recruitment scams, both aimed at either extorting money from you or obtaining your personal information. The first type involves impersonation, where fraudsters pose as legitimate recruiters through platforms like WhatsApp, Telegram, Facebook, LinkedIn, or email. “They often use stolen logos and attractive profile pictures to create the illusion of being from HR departments or reputable recruitment agencies,” explains Collard.

Recently, scams have surfaced where fraudsters impersonated the Department of Employment and Labour to advertise fictitious job opportunities (source). Victims were required to pay upfront fees for purported “background checks” or training sessions, only to discover the jobs didn’t exist.

The second type of scam features fake job postings on genuine job boards. Scammers utilize platforms like Facebook to post fraudulent job offers, using Groups and Marketplace features to target unsuspecting individuals.

How to protect yourself

When job hunting, it’s crucial to remain vigilant. Here are three clear indicators that a job posting or recruitment drive could be a scam:

1. Unsolicited offers and unprofessional communication: Be wary of unsolicited job offers, especially if you haven’t applied for them. Legitimate employers follow formal recruitment processes and rarely recruit through casual social media contact. Additionally, watch out for poor grammar, spelling errors, international phone numbers on messaging apps, or email addresses from free providers like Gmail or Yahoo.

2. Remote work with high pay: If a job offer promises high pay for remote work, it could be a scam. Fraudsters capitalize on the appeal of remote work and may offer unrealistically high salaries for the position advertised. Research typical salary ranges for similar roles and verify the legitimacy of the job offer by contacting the company directly.

3. Requests for payment or personal information: The most significant red flag is any request for upfront payment for application fees, training courses, or background checks. According to the Employment Services Act, legitimate employers cannot charge job seekers for recruitment services. Moreover, be cautious if asked to provide sensitive personal information such as ID numbers or bank details early in the process.

To safeguard your job search, trust your instincts and exercise caution. As Collard advises, “Pay attention to warning signs such as unsolicited job offers, requests for downloads, and demands for payment or personal information.” By maintaining a healthy skepticism and verifying the legitimacy of job offers and recruiters, you can reduce the risk of falling victim to these scams. Remember, if something sounds too good to be true, it probably is.