In some cases, the benefit of the scammers is very clear, in others, it does not seem that there is an economic payment of any kind. But then, where does the profit of the scammers go and what is the risk that is run by opting for these offers? We will analyze it on a case-by-case basis to make it easier for you to spot fraudulent offers and to keep your money and private data safe in the job market.
Dream jobs… that require advance payment
The workers and workers should always be clear that they should never pay to be able to apply for a job. With the high unemployment rate around the world, despair at the lack of employment or the desire to access a position with dream conditions can make us lose our way and accept a payment of about 200 or 300 dollars to opt for a very well-paid position.
The prospect of working in a luxury hotel, on a cruise ship, or on an oil rig with salaries of $3,000 may be appetizing, but you have to keep a cool head and understand that offers that request payment from candidates is always a fraud. It is the company that must pay your person and not the other way around. Therefore, it should never be applied to this type of dubious job proposal.
Initial training courses that run at the expense of the staff
A very similar scam disguises this initial payment as alleged financing of a training course necessary to apply for a high-level job, which, naturally, is also advertised with a very high salary. These jobs are usually offered in supposed oil or gas extraction companies, and they try to challenge untrained people who suddenly believe that they could earn thousands of dollars a month with a more than decent job.
However, again the scam is evident when payment is requested in the first instance to carry out necessary training for the job. With charges ranging from $300 to $1,500, scammers can amass a large amount of money before disappearing as soon as they collect it. It is worth remembering then that it should always be the company that is in charge of the personnel training data.
Great job offers that never call or hire anyone
The two previous scams are, as we said, very easy to see. However, there is a third type of bogus offer that can be even more dangerous and is, unfortunately, considerably more difficult to spot. These are job offers with very good conditions – at least in appearance – and that simply collect the CVs of the candidates, without ever hiring anyone.
These offers are usually repeated over and over again, with few variations, in the main job portals, and serve to collect private data from all the people who opt for them. In summary, a large amount of sensitive information is usually included, such as full name, phone number, email, or date of birth. And all of that is very valuable to a cyber attacker.
With this information, hackers are capable of violating all types of online accounts, including victims’ social media accounts, email accounts, e-commerce platforms such as Mercado Libre, and even digital banking. With free access to these types of platforms, hackers can drain entire bank accounts, making the potential financial losses that much more serious.
Remember to protect your personal data
As you can see, your private data is much more valuable than you think, and it can be used against you if it falls into the wrong hands. That is why it is so important that you do not provide them lightly when distributing resumes, and that you protect them as much as possible whenever you enter them on any online platform. Using a VPN with a free trial can also help you keep them protected from potential leaks, which will minimize the risk of hacking into your personal accounts.
