Employment fraud prevention

1. Seems too good to be true
 

• Offers salary and benefits not in line with standard expectations of the role.
• Exaggerated claims about job opportunities, such as promising high salaries, quick promotions, or guaranteed income without prior experience or qualifications.
• Remote work opportunities requiring upfront purchase of equipment or software with the promise to receive high returns.
• Money purchasing scams involving fake checks or money orders requiring a bank deposit to cover startup expenses, software, background checks, and/or equipment costs. Claims that these funds will eventually be returned are fraudulent, and in most cases the victim is responsible for the financial losses.

2. Unprofessional communication
 

• Grammatical errors, misspelled words, inconsistent formatting, and a lack of contact information are red flags.
• Use of inconsistent communication methods such as WhatsApp or generic emails from addresses such as Yahoo.com or Gmail.com.
• Communications from a person unlikely to contact you about job opportunities. Most companies have a dedicated team of professionals responsible for hiring. Be cautious if you receive unsolicited correspondence from a person claiming to be a member of the executive team.

3. Misleading brand representation
 

• Legitimate employers provide clear information about their organization. Be cautious of inconsistencies in the company logo and messaging.
• Domain names that use slight misspellings to confuse job seekers. For example, using the incorrect web domains of careershumanna.com or centerwellcarreers.com instead of the correct domain spellings of careers.humana.com and centerwellcareers.com.

4. Vague job description
 

• If the job description is unclear or lacks specific details about responsibilities and expectations, it is likely to be fraudulent.

5. Unusual interview requests
 

• Requests for payment: Legitimate employers will NEVER ask for money upfront to cover the cost of interviews, background checks, video interview software, or equipment.
• High pressure acceptance: Fraudulent individuals will often pressure applicants into making hurried decisions without researching the company and verifying the legitimacy of the employment offer.
• No interview: If you are offered a job without an interview or the opportunity to discuss your qualifications, it is most likely a scam.
• Too many perks: A job offering an excessive number of perks, with no clear business reason, is a cause for caution.

6. Requests for personal information
 

• Personal banking information: Legitimate employers will never ask you to provide protected information including banking or credit card information during the application and/or interview process.
• Personal identification numbers: Authentic requests for information including social security number or copy of passport or driver’s license, would occur well into the hiring process, often after a legitimate offer has been accepted. Anyone requesting this information upfront is highly likely to be involved in employment fraud or identity theft.