It seemed like a great job offer. The perks are unreal. And what you would be doing seems so lit. Wait a minute. Should you think again? Is this a scam?
On 13 September 2023, it was reported that more than half of the job scam victims are 20 to 39 years of age. So how do you protect yourself from being a victim of a job scam? Here are the differences…
Sign One: Receiving random cold calls
The difference between a legitimate job offer versus a scam is that you have actually applied for one or are actively looking for an opening. If you receive a call or a text from someone unknown without applying for anything, it is probably not a good idea to accept that you were “talent scouted” to this. Red flag!
Sign Two: Having discrepancies in the email address
We have all received fake emails or SMSes before. What seemed like a legitimate company address may have perhaps contain some surprises. For example, you may be deceived by the following: “bank” vs “bɑnk”.
We recommend doing a search online. Find out if the company exists. Scrutinise that email address especially if there are odd alphanumerical details. Look up the company address on Google Maps. Click on the street view to see if that company exists and find out as much as you can to verify its legitmacy. If there are no internet footprints, it is probably a scam.
Sign Three: Hearing offers that are too good to be true
If you hear the hiring manager tells you that the pay is good and describes the work scope to be so easy, you should really be raising your eyebrows. If there is a way to earn money doing next to nothing, it is probably too good to be true. Remember: Delulu is NOT the Solulu.
Sign Four: Failing to receive a letter of offer
Although it is not illegal to work without a written contract in Singapore, it is illegal for an employer to not provide you with a written description of your job. This can include the period of service and the essential clause details like working hours, period of service, salary schedule, etc.
Sign Five: Soliciting for personal information
If the hiring manager is calling you to ask you for your personal information before they can decide if you are a good fit for the organisation, this is a scam. Collecting personal information from you should never be the first step to securing a full-time or part-time job. And finding out your bank account details, your mother’s maiden name, your date of birth, home address and your identification number will not improve your chances of securing a job.
Sign Six: Paying to secure a job vacancy
Unfortunately, we have heard of this: the hiring manager requires you to pay a fee before you can proceed to the next step of getting the job. If you have to pay to be hired, it is usually a scam. More so, if that payment is for something you are not even sure it is for a legitimate purpose.
Remember to always find for jobs on reliable and legitimate websites. Not from social media and not from unverified job sites.