Job scams are rising – find out how to protect yourself

Scammers are increasingly preying on vulnerable job seekers. Whether they’re desperate for income, angling for a pay rise or just desperate to move on, job seekers can be an easy target for scammers. This desperation is fuelling a

in the UK, and scammers are using increasingly creative ways to part the jobseeker from their hard-earned cash.

Let’s take a look at some of the most common scams around at the moment, identify some red flags and find out how to minimise your chances of getting ripped off.

Scam 1: Fake jobs

In this scenario, a “recruiter” will contact you about a job. This job could be one they’ve posted on an online job board, that you’ve applied for, or they could simply claim to have found your CV online or seen your

. Either way, you’re a great fit!

But… in order to progress, you’re going to need to part with some money. Very likely, this will be in the form of having your CV re-written so that it is ”

” or “using their template”. If you pay, you either receive a low-quality CV (often written in poor English by someone on Fiverr or in a third world country) or more likely, no CV at all. If you need help with your CV, always use

.

If you do receive a CV, that opens you up to more scamming, because they can then also charge you for background checks. Some scammers will go to great lengths to make you think you’re part of a genuine recruitment process to keep you invested, with phone interviews, technical tests and CV scores all part of the scheme.

None of this matters – there was never a job in the first place. You’ll either be ghosted or told you didn’t get the job this time. You’re hundreds of pounds out of pocket for a job that never existed.

Scam 2: CV storage

When you’re job hunting, you need a CV – but you don’t know

. No problem! There are plenty of online CV builders that can help you to write a job-winning CV. So, you input all your information to compile an ATS-friendly CV that recruiters are going to love.

Now it’s time to download it. You’ll need to pay a fee to do that – annoying, but you’ve done all the work now, so you cough up rather than go through it all again on another website. You download the CV you’ve built and start merrily applying for jobs.

But that one-off download fee? Should’ve read the small print. It wasn’t a one-off fee but a monthly subscription to “store your CV”. By the time you notice the regular payments coming out of your account, you’ll be hundreds of pounds down and with no recourse, because it was there in the small print all along.

Scam 3: The work-from-home set-up scam

Congratulations! You’ve got the job! And it’s work-from-home too, what a result! You just need to pay up front for some initial training and your computer equipment. Don’t worry, you’ll be reimbursed!

The only problem is that once you pay up, the job suddenly disappears. No-one contacts you, their phone numbers stop working and the website was fake, so you can’t even chase anyone up. Worse – you’ve already handed your notice in, so now you’re unemployed as well.

A common alternative is the fake cheque scam – you’re sent a cheque to cover equipment costs, but after you’ve ordered the kit (from their approved website) the cheque bounces.

Scam 4: Identity theft

There’s yet another fake job advert online – but this one doesn’t want your money just yet. Things like date of birth, address, or even identity numbers may be included on the CV you’ve just uploaded.

like that can be sold on!

Your identity is suddenly compromised, just because you uploaded a CV in response to what you thought was a genuine job advert. Working with a certified, UK-based CV writer ensures that the personal details on your CV are kept to the absolute minimum needed to process your application, helping to maintain security.

Red flags for job scams

If you’re setting out on a job hunt, it’s important to know how to identify job scams online. Beware these red flags and stop all communications immediately:

• 
  

  A Gmail address

  
  

• Communications via WhatsApp

• Poor English / strange phrasing

• You didn’t apply for the job

• No company website, or job not listed on the official company website

• No LinkedIn presence

• Vague adverts / high pay for low effort

• Requests for payment

• Sense of urgency

How to avoid job scams

Use these tips to check whether a job is real or whether you’ve received a fake job offer:

• Check the source:

  
  

  Real recruiters don’t use WhatsApp. Neither do they use Gmail addresses or texts. Check the recruiter is contacting you from a professional source – ideally a company email address.  

• Check their LinkedIn profile:

  
  

  Real recruiters have credible career histories, thousands of contacts and plenty of recommendations. Scammers either have no profile at all, or a sparsely populated one with very few contacts. Try a reverse image search on the photo, too.

• Confirm the job exists:

  
  
  

  Scammers often pretend to work for well-known businesses – those businesses won’t mind if you contact them through their website or LinkedIn to confirm the job is real, as it helps them to prevent reputational damage.

  
  

• Read reviews:

  
  
  

  A simple online search for the company, such as “[company name] reviews” or “is [company name] legit” can stop you getting your fingers burned, as people often post online about their experiences.

  
  

• Don’t share personal information:

  
  
  

  Never share personal details, especially bank account numbers, until you’ve accepted the job.

  
  

• Check criteria:

  
  
  

  Job adverts with very vague or easy-to-meet requirements, such as “communication skills”, can be signs of a scam – especially when paired with a higher-than-expected salary. Most roles, especially above entry-level, are far more specific.

  
  

• Liaise with the bank:

  
  

  Your bank will be able to tell you if a cheque is valid. Never purchase anything until the cheque has cleared and your bank has confirmed its legitimacy.

• Step back:

  
  
  

  Scammers thrive on creating a feeling of urgency, so that you don’t have time to think or query the process. Genuine recruiters won’t pressure you or force you into on-the-spot decisions.

  
  

The golden rule is to

part with money as part of a recruitment process. If you get bad vibes – trust your gut.

Job scam FAQs

Is it safe to share my CV online?

Most people are actually genuine and decent. More often than not, your CV will be safe if you share it online, but it’s important to protect yourself. Use these tips for safe ways to share your CV:

• 
  

  Apply directly via the company website (don’t follow any links you’ve been sent – use Google or type the address in yourself).

  
  

• 
  

  Minimise the personal details you include – there’s no need for your date of birth, passport number, national insurance number, or almost anything else that can identify you. Your email address and phone number is enough for a recruiter to contact you if they need more info, without compromising your identity.

  
  

• 
  

  Only upload your CV to recognised job boards. Review privacy policies and delete your CV when you land a new role.

  
  

Where can I get CV writing help?

Don’t wait for a fake recruiter to tell you that you need to invest in a CV! Research legitimate CV writers and find one that can meet your specific needs. The

vets all its registered members and

has offered CV writing help to UK job seekers for over 16 years.

Can someone steal your identity from your CV?

It depends what information you include on your CV. Most CVs contain enough information to enable scammers to use your identity for fraud, money laundering or impersonation, or for them to sell on for use in spam campaigns.

Do real recruiters ever ask for money?

NO!!!

What to do if you’re scammed by a “recruiter”

It’s easy to get caught out, as these scammers are convincing and smart. Instead of blaming yourself, follow these steps:

• Ignore and block – don’t engage in any further communication

• Report the scam to the police, Action Fraud and your bank

• Get further help from Citizen’s Advice

• Leave reviews online to warn others

Genuine, certified job search support

As a certified UK CV service, Word Dragon has over 16 years’ experience helping job seekers to create CVs that show the very best version of themselves. You can be sure that with a

, your information is safe and your job search is getting off on the right foot.