Job seekers face a growing threat from employment scams, which rank among the most common types of consumer fraud, according to the Better Business Bureau. Scammers use career boards, social media, and generative AI to impersonate recruiters and promote fake job openings that may appear legitimate.
Warning Signs of Job Scams
Expert Gilbert Michaud, Ph.D., assistant professor of environmental policy at Loyola University Chicago, advises job seekers to be cautious. Common warning signs of job scams include poorly written advertisements, recruiters who avoid video conversations, requests to pay fees or share sensitive information, and offers that come with unusually high pay.
A recent study by SmartAsset analyzed Federal Trade Commission data on job scams and found that reports of job scams increased the most in South Dakota, Maine, and Alaska. The study also measured the frequency of these reports in each state.
Job seekers should be aware of these scams and take steps to protect themselves, such as researching companies thoroughly and being wary of job postings that seem too good to be true.
Original reporting: KEYT (Ventura/Santa Barbara) — read the source article.
