Recruiter or Thief? Fake Job Scams Grows, Targeting the Unemployed. Here's How to Catch an HR Imposter

It’s a growing frontier of fraud, targeting unemployed workers when they are most vulnerable.

The online job hunt has been infested by thieves pretending to be recruiters, wanting to hire you, when in reality they just want your private data.

Last year, more than 94,000 people reported business and job opportunity scams to the Federal Trade Commission, costing them $367 million. That number is trending upward, with crooks stealing 76% more money in 2022 than they did in 2021.

The FTC says scammers are targeting people who want to work from home, and employees in the tech sector, who may have experienced recent layoffs.

So, how do you protect yourself?

Amber Clayton, the senior director of knowledge operations at the Society for Human Resource Management says anyone approached for work has to “do their homework.”

Here are some points to keep in mind:

• If a recruiter approaches you, wanting to hire you for a company, do an independent search for the company name online, and check that the website the recruiter shared matches the authentic one. If not, that’s a red flag.
  
• Beware of recruiters who tell you to buy a phone, laptop, or any devices before you start a new job. It’s likely a ploy to steal money from you.
  
• Make sure the recruiter’s email address matches the real company website, to figure out if the recruiter is who they say they are. And never give your sensitive information, such as a bank account number or social security number, to anyone who you can’t validate their identity. 
  
• Insist on speaking to the job recruiter and your future teammates, ideally by video or in person. Be very careful if interviews take place solely by text or email. 

Read more about the exploding trend of job scams here on NBC Bay Area’s website.

If you spot a job scam, or someone tries to target you, regulators recommend reporting it to the Federal Trade Commission, that way they can investigate. It may be a way to prevent others from falling victim.

You can also tell the NBC 5 Responds team. Call 1-844-NBC-RESP or click here to let us know, so we can help.