Jobseekers warned about fake job scams

Jobseekers are being warned of a large increase in fake job scams with thousands of people estimated to be victims every year.

A not-for-profit organisation set up by the Metropolitan Police to monitor scams in the recruitment industry says it has received 800 reports of scams since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic with many other cases going unreported.

The organisation SAFERjobs says the scams normally fall into two categories. ‘Advanced fee fraud’ is where goods are bought on behalf of a customer. The victim pays upfront for the trade price of the product and receives the retail price from the customer. But no goods exist so the victim loses their money and is forced to pay back the angry customer as well.

The other popular category for scams is where victims are jobseekers told they have been given a job and are asked for bank details, copies of passports and proof of address. Fraudsters then use these to apply for loans, access your bank account or even set up companies in your name.

Keith Rosser, the chair of SAFERjobs believes scammers are capitalising on a desperation for work due to the pandemic. He told the Daily Mail: “Before Covid-19, we used to say that recruitment fraud was a nasty one because it would prey on people’s hopes.

“But now, when there are so many people desperately looking for work and trying to put food on the table, it feels far worse and people are far more vulnerable.”

The advice from SAFERjobs is to avoid any company that asks you to pay upfront for anything and check the job is genuine, even if it is listed on a well-known recruitment site.

Conflict International has extensive experience in helping genuine employers hire the right staff by carrying out thorough pre-employment checks. We hold accreditations for our checks and are a registered company. We compile a detailed report into an individual’s employment history, education, lifestyle, any criminal background and their financial background. Find out more here on our dedicated page.

To discuss a particular case or our services in more detail, please contact us in confidence on +44 (0)20 7917 2939 or email [email protected]