Are you worried about Recruitment Scams?
At a time when money is tight and people are looking for honesty, the existence of recruitment scams can be devastating.
What is a scam? What are the impacts? How can you be sure about a job advert?
What is a scam?
- How could I be scammed while looking for a new job? I am not providing my bank details or personal information.
- It can be easy to share a lot of personal data simply by forwarding your CV in response to an advertisement.
Never put the following on your CV:
- Full name
- Date of birth
- Full address
- NI number
- Passport number
- Bank details
With over twenty years in the recruitment and jobs board industries, I have seen applicants provide all of these and more. None of them are required in the early stages of the recruitment process. Protect Yourself! Each extra piece of your personal you let go of takes a scammer one step closer to scamming you.
BBC News recently published an article, ‘Hundreds’ of jobseekers victims of 'recruitment scam'. In this, the scammer was advertising non-existent jobs and charging applicants up to £480 each for what he called “accreditation fees”. The victims were tricked by the scammer using fake companies with realistic-looking websites.
I have an anecdote from another recruiter I know, who realised that the agency she was working for was selling candidates' personal data to overseas fraudsters. When she confronted the owners, they denied it and then asked her to leave.
Therefore, risks are present, and they appear to be increasing in frequency and sophistication.
What are the impacts?
- Direct loss of paying money to someone.
- Loss of time and the opportunity to find a real job.
- Theft of personal information, which may be used for other scams in the future.
- Mental health impacts and the embarrassment of being ripped off.
How can you be sure about a job?
- Follow the guidelines on submitting your CV or completing online forms
- Recruitment agencies are not permitted to charge fees for finding you a job
- Check if the recruitment agency is a member of an accredited body, such as The REC, or The TEAM Network.
- Is the Agency or Jobs Board displaying the JobsAware logo?
Finding a new job can be a stressful experience. Being worried about scammers does not help.
- Do your homework
- Use a professional job advertising board
- Have the support of a professional recruitment agency
As with most things, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is!
This is original content written by Tony Line, and the opinions are my own. April 2025
