Questions to ask yourself before you apply for the job:
Understand the job description:- Is the job description vague? Can you not identify a job title or duties? Does it focus on how much you can earn rather than the job itself?
- Is it an entrepreneurial opportunity; Does it require that you purchase a business start-up kit, subscribe to a business support team, or pay for certification or training?
- Is it multi-level, where your success may depend on how many others you recruit?
- Does it require you to purchase an initial product or supplies?
- Does the company have to “sell” the job to you?
- Does it ask you to be a “campus representative?” (You solicit goods or services on campus – which is not allowed on the CCM campus.)
- Does it offer a good income working from home in your spare time?
- Does it offer a wide salary range (i.e. “employees can earn from $40K – $80K the first year!”)?
- Is the salary identified as “potential” earnings?
- Does the $15.00 refer to per hour, per appointment, per session?
- Is the recruiter email generic such as @gmail, @hotmail, etc.?
- Does the employer not offer their address?
- Does the company refer to itself as a start-up, new, or a small private business?
- Is the company contact the CEO, Co-founder, President, etc.?
- There are numerous grammatical and spelling errors in the description.
- A high salary is listed with minimal skills required.
- The employer wants to send you money ahead of time or asks you to involve your personal finances/bank accounts in any way.
- The job involves mailing items from your home or performing personal shopping.
- The employer hires you immediately over email or over the phone.
- The recruiter email does not match the company name/website.
- When you respond to an ad, you initially receive only a vague recorded message or web page about the job.
- The offered website only contains information about the job and little or nothing about the employer.
- There are “get rich quick” promises.
- The position requires an initial investment on your part.
- A scammer uses a real local employer name and website on the job description, but wants candidates to respond to an unrelated email address.
- Employer requires you to accept mailings, pick up packages, or perform gift shopping using money they send you.
- Employer asks you to be a payroll/human resources representative where you will pay other employees from money sent to you.
- You are asked to put magnetic advertising signs on your car and get “paid to drive.”
- A recruiter requests personal information for a pre-employment background check prior to an in-person interview.
- A student is asked to purchase gift cards and then send the PIN numbers to his new boss who is traveling on business.
- Fake social media pages/profiles sharing job opportunities. Verify that the recruiter or employer social media account is genuine before you click to apply.
- You should immediately contact the local police. The police are responsible for conducting an investigation (regardless of whether the scam artist is local or in another state).
- Report the scam to the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3.gov).
- If you have sent money to a fraudulent employer, you should contact you bank and/or credit card company immediately to close the account and dispute the charges.
- File a complaint with the FTC.
- For problems with an employment-service firms, contact the appropriate state licensing board (if these firms must be licensed in your state), your state Attorney General, and your local consumer protection agency.