A job scam is a fraudulent offer for work that is intended to mislead people seeking legitimate employment. Often, the objective of scammers is to deceive job seekers into giving money, divulging personal information or providing free labour. Other Probable dangers of online work scam include:

• Rape or sexual offenses.
• Human trafficking.
• Theft of your money.
• Robbery.
• Kidnapping.
• Death.

When you are looking for a new job, being able to distinguish between a scam and a valid opportunity can keep you safe and spare you a great deal of hassle.

To prevent online work scams, follow these essential tips:

1 Do your research

Before applying for a position, conduct thorough research on the company to establish its existence and verify identifying details. Use a search engine to find the employer’s official website and social media pages, which can provide useful information that you can compare against what you find in job listings or emails. If you received a recruitment email from a different handle, you can tell that the sender is a scammer.

14.2 Verify website security

You can avoid illegitimate jobs by verifying websites and their security measures. Make sure the web address includes “https://” at the beginning, not “http://.” This verifies that the site is both authentic and secure.

14.3 Trust your instincts

If you remain suspicious of a job or employer even after your research, trust yourself. If you feel uncertain, uncomfortable or jeopardized by an opportunity, avoiding it is the best course of action. Even if you can confirm the company is real, your feelings may be a sign that your values and interests differ from the employer’s.

14.4 Protect your personal information

Keep your bank account information, credit card number, social security number and all other sensitive information safe from strangers online, even if they ask for it. Legitimate employers don’t ask for payment card information at all, and they don’t request banking details. If a recruiter or potential employer asks for these details early on, consider terminating your communication with them.

14.5 Look for complaints

Job sites often have review sections where employees and candidates share their experiences with an employer. Search for a potential employer on these sites and see what others have said. Their remarks can reveal whether the employer is legitimate and thus guide your decision to move forward.

14.6 Too-good-to-be-true job offers

Be cautious of jobs promising unrealistic pay for minimal work.

14.7 Requests for upfront payments

Legitimate employers never ask for money to hire you.

14.8 Lack of company transparency

Be wary or careful of companies with no contact information, social media, or website.

14.9 Urgency and pressure

Scammers often try to rush you into making decisions. If that happens, immediately cut off communication with them

14.10 Poor grammar or vague language Unprofessional communication can be a sign of a scam.

14.11 Check email addresses

Legitimate companies use branded emails (membership@sasolmed.co.za), not generic ones.

14.12 Verify recruiters

Research the recruiter’s identity and affiliation with the company.

14.13 Check for official contact details

Legitimate companies provide verifiable contact information.

14.14 Be cautious of uninvited offers

Legitimate job opportunities usually require active job hunting and applying through reputable platforms.

14.15 Use secure communication channels.

Avoid using personal email for initial contacts.

14.16 Never pay for training or materials.

Legitimate employers cover these expenses or provide necessary equipment.

14.17 Block communications from the sender

Once you find out that the whole job thing was a scam, block communications from the sender. Most email providers allow you to block a sender and report their messages as spam. If the scammer called or texted you, block their phone number too

14.18 Report the scam

You can report job scams and suspicious communications to the law enforcement to help other consumers and candidates.

8. Remember: Anyone can fall victim to these scams. Scammers do this for a living and have many people helping them build their elaborate scams. They take legitimate company and employee names associated to the business and incorporate them into their scheme.