How to avoid online job scams

Dear Jobseeker,

Are you out of a job or looking for one? Maybe you’re fresh out of college and looking to get that dream job. Whichever category you fall into, you must strive to make sure you don’t fall into the same trap that thousands of other jobseekers get into- the online job scam trap. The coming of the internet brought with it a huge and simpler way to apply for and get a job. This huge opportunity led to the birth of agent companies like Collegerecruiter.com and Monster.com who make the process simpler and more enjoyable. Even Yahoo the online giant has a job seekers placement service called ‘Yahoo Hot Jobs’.

However like everything else online, the jobseekers turf has been invaded by scammers. Why is this so? You may ask.

The attraction for these frauds is that you have to provide a few personal details like your full name, address, social security number and possibly credit card details (this one only happens if you want to buy a service)

Scammers then set up dummy websites to collect these information and then go on to fleece you of your hard earned money or even put you in debt by making purchases on your card.

Instead of helping you get a job, they cause you misery.

Despite the efforts of government agencies and internet watchdogs, these websites still exist.

What you should do now is- don’t fall for this trap!

There is only one way not to do this and that is to AVOID FAKE JOB SEARCH SITES.

Below is a long list of them. Avoid them like you’d avoid contracting the HIV virus which causes AIDS, ok? a word is enough for the wise and you my friend I believe are very much so.

Now there are many others not listed here. And even those listed could very much change their identity this very next minute and start duping under another name.

So be on the watch out.

Now the question now is, how do you recognize a fake job site immediately you see one? Use the following tips below;

1. Check to see if they are a member of BBBOnline.

If they are, they’ll have the BBBonline logo on the website. BBBonline is the Better Business Bureau online arm. Their job is to certify websites fit to do business with on the internet.

2. Check to see if they’re an off shoot of a major company.

Many service firms now run job sites too. A popular example is Yahoo Inc which runs the online job site called ‘Yahoo Hot jobs’. If they are an offshoot of a major company then they authentic.

3. Check to see if they have an affiliate program.

Ok. Just in case you don’t know, an affiliate program is a service run by businesses to reward people who drive traffic to them.

The reason why this is important in identifying real online job sites is that the affiliate programs are run by Third Party companies. These companies (some of them include Commission Junction, ) have stringent conditions and registration processes which they use to screen the advertisers they carry on their platform. Of course scammers don’t go near them as they risk exposure if they do.

So check if any job site you visit has an affiliate program. If it does, you’ll see a link leading to it. Such a link almost always appears on the bottom of the home page in words like “affiliates”, “affiliate program”, “partners” or “partner program”.

If you don’t see such a link on the website you’re visiting, run.

4. They won’t ever ask you provide your credit card details or social security number, or International Passport or Driver’s License or any of such stuff.

When you get to an online site you won’t be asked to provide any of the above. The most you’ll get asked for is your credit card WHEN YOU WANT TO PURCHASE A SERVICE provided by the company. And that is only after you have click a pay button or link, NOT FOR REGISTERING.

I hope you have learnt now how to avoid online job scams. Please do not take what I have told you here lightly.

Success is yours. I love you.

Thank a lot!