Scam or Not?
Vetting a Potential Employer
Sadly, there are scammers out there hoping to capitalize on your desire to land a job. There are ways to educate yourself, though, so you do not fall victim to them. First, read this article about job scams from the Federal Trade Commission.
Research, research, research:
- Check out organizations before you apply. At GlassDoor, you can search millions of job listings and see company salaries, employee reviews, and inside connections for any company. Search for them on LinkedIn and, if they are traded on the stock exchange, a site like Reuters. Do they have a presence on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter?
- Search for them on Ripoff Report to see if they have been reported by consumers. If they show up on the report, you probably should avoid them. The site also provides information on work-at-home scams, as well as a link to a .pdf detailing Career Services scams.
- Google the organization! It seems obvious, but it can be quite effective in getting a sense of the legitimacy of an organization.
Red flags on their website:
- No contact names or contact information to request their services or to apply for jobs;
- No information about founder, co-founders, or owners;
- No client list;
- Stock photos rather than actual organizational images;
- General copy that seems slick and polished but hides their real purpose and activities;
- Staff contacts do not include this employer on their LinkedIn profiles.
- The Better Business Bureau can be a good resource if you are looking into a local company or non-profit that isn't widely known. Search by your zip code, and search for the company.
- Are you interested in working for not-for-profits? Go to GuideStar and CharityNavigator to vet organizations from a donor's viewpoint.
Familiarize yourself with job search scams:
- Recognizing the scams will help you avoid them. To get a sense of the types of scams to watch out for, read advice from jobhunt.org and from craigslist.
Quick tips:
- Check to make sure the recruiter's email is coming from a company domain and not a general email account. Look for verifiable contact information on the posting and cross check this information via a search engine or a site such as Superpages.com.
- Check the company domain registration using tools such as DomainTools.com and note how long the domain name has been registered. Do not trust if the domain name is a couple of days to a couple of months old or if it is private which means that there is no employer contact information to verify.
- If you have to pay any fees for "training" or purchase any product before you are hired, it's most likely a scam - Buyer beware.
Job search scams look very appealing, and even smart people can fall victim to them. The result can be loss of the money you do have, trouble with the IRS or other law enforcement agency, and identity theft when your SSN is provided to the fake "employer." Trust after you verify!