Employment fraud

Some firms post fake adverts on various platforms to seek CVs or personal details of job seekers who get a call from someone posing as an employer or a job-agent, and prospective employee is told that the firm is preparing to consider them for a position. 

They are asked to fill in a questionnaire or a form and give an interview over the phone.  Once you get an offer, the agent contacts and arrange for your placement, they may tell you that the job is abroad, and you will have to submit certain documents to travel abroad or get accommodation or visas. 

They may refer the job seeker to an agency to arrange for all the required papers like visas and work experience certificates, and you may be asked to pay a fee for all the arrangements. 

Once you pay for travelling, they seek payments for arranging a hotel or accommodation, and sometimes, they get all your details only to steal information and transfer funds from your account into theirs. 

Some placement sites will ask the clients to apply for a job, but in reality, there is no job vacancy, and they seek a fee that goes to fraudulent sites. 

If you have suffered any such fraud where you have paid all the fees, given up the previous job and left your accommodation to move to a new place and then you are informed that you are no more considered for the job or if the employer refuses to accept your call, you should inform it to the authorities.

How To Spot It?

• If you are contacted by someone claiming to be an agent offering a new job, and they ask you to fill in a questionnaire where you need to provide personal information and contact address details.

• If you have transferred funds into the account of such agents who seek payment as administrative or accommodation fee to get a job.

How To Protect Yourself?

Stop communication with such an agency(agents) that asks to pay you to get a job. Also, make a detailed note of all the activities or communications and report them to the legal authorities.

If you have transferred money to any such firm, contact your bank to stop processing the request.

Warn the website operators where you placed your CV about the cheating you faced by someone who claimed to be their agent. 

How To Recognise A Fake?

• The documents and communications sent by a reliable firm should not have grammar or spelling mistakes.

• Ask the embassy or inquire through the embassy and take essential steps to stop any such illegitimate activities.

• Always check all the details related to the job offer to know if it exists or not. Also, you can contact the firm directly to confirm the opportunity.

• If you are asked to pay for travel or accommodation, tell the employer you can make it yourself and be careful if they try to dissuade you. Carefully check the email details and if you face issues, report the crime to the regulatory agencies.