In looking for another contract to add to my current contracts, I was almost being scammed on Indeed, which I mentioned in my earlier post today, a few weeks ago.
This has apparently become so rampant at all of these job-posting websites (Indeed, LinkedIn, Glassdoor, ZipRecruiter, SimplyHired, Upwork, Dice, Careerbuilder, etc.) that Indeed actually now has a guide page article entitled: "10 Signs to a Job Posting is a Scam."
For reference, here are their 10 hints (and then I'm going to give you mine):
1) A recruiter contacts you for a job you didn't apply for.
2) You receive a job offer right away.
3) The pay is higher than the going rate.
4) The schedule seems too flexible.
5) The job requirements and description are vague.
6) The company requires payment from you.
7) The job promises you'll get wealthy fast.
8) The communication seems unprofessional, grammatically incorrect or overly formal (as if English is a second language).
9) Contact information for the company is missing or inaccurate.
10) A company requests financial information before hiring.
Okay, yes - but most of us know those already - and there are more ways to tell, since this article was written.
Because scammers also know about this article, too, and they've gotten tricker since it was written.
In fact, I had 3 scamming attempts in one week, about a month ago, one of which I almost fell for (#13 - and I didn't know until I arrived via Microsoft Teams.)
11) They use Gmail or Hotmail - or even Microsoft Outlook - with a misspelled name to contact you (or ask you to reply to), instead of using Indeed's email or chat messaging, or their official company email.
12) They use what looks like a legitimate email from the company, but something is off.
It could be even just one one letter in the person's name or the company, or even the outlook webmail address - i.e. "Janne.Smith@XYZz.onmicrosoft.outlook.com"
13) Instead of using the official Indeed Messenger, they send you a link to chat on WhatsApp or Signal - or even Microsoft Teams or Zoom - just to set up an interview appointment - but via chat, rather than an official Teams or Zoom meeting with audio or video.
This one is tricky - because legitimate companies really do send you a formal invitation to interview via Teams or Zoom; HOWEVER, it should be a formal meeting and should NOT be just written chat - an actual meeting, with audio and video.
(In fact, this is what tipped me off to the job actually being an impersonation job scam - a verified scam - see more in the post directly below this one with an email from Indeed (and the company) verifying it was a scam, after I reported it. 😉)
16) Check the website link they send you, but still be careful - anyone could send a link to any company's website
17) Compare the phone number they give you in the signature line versus the company's phone number via Google - and actually call it, asking verifying there is a job posting.
18) Their communication has grammatical flaws, like verb tense - or conversely, their communication is too formal for American English,
i.e. "Greetings and Good Day, Mrs. Chaplow. Based on your resume, we are overwhelmingly pleased to offer you the position at XYZ at $900 an hour! Kindly set up a preliminary HR meeting through this Microsoft Teams link."
Nope.
Think you're too smart to fall for any of this?
Okay, let's test you - is this one real or fake?
During the same week as the scam I almost fell for, mentioned in the post below, I received this email - here was the email it came from:
And here is the end of the email and the signature line:
If you answered that this is a real?
Indeed, you're wrong (pun intended) - because in fact, it is fake.
I knew right away.
How did I know?
1) I didn't apply for this job.
2) The email address is weird - it contains the company name, but "onmicrosoft.com" is not valid, site-based company email.
3) The job description is vague.
4) The link to the company in the signature line leads to a "Page Cannot be found." .
5) The phone number in the signature line does not match the real one on Google - and when I called the number, I got the auto message that there this isn't a valid number and to check the number and try again, which I did.
6) The language of the email vacillates between overly familiar and overly formal or odd for American English - i.e, "I hope this letter finds you well" as a greeting to someone you've never spoken with/met before - about a job interview.
Now, ESL people often greet acquaintences this way - at least more than we do - and yet still, it's only after they've met you or spoken with you at least once previously - not the first time they see speak with you.
Also, we rarely use the term "CV" instead of "resume," in America, only for certain jobs, particularly doctors - but especially not for administrative assistant jobs.
That is because, as I discovered, though this is a real person, who really did co-own this business at one time, this email is NOT from her - and the company went under months ago!
So after this third scamming attempt in one week, I replied to the email with the above 4 things, then added a #7:
7) There are better scammers out there - try harder!
😂😂😂
Again - if something seems off, it probably is.
Now - here's what legitimate WILL jobs do, post-COVID.
1) Link directly to their website and often ask you to formally apply on their own website, as well as Indeed.
2) They may contact you via Indeed's email, but nowadays, it's usually directly from the company email, i.e. "Jane.Smith@XYZ.com"
3) Although they do sometimes use Indeed Messenger to set up interviews, interview requests are usually done via email using a formal calendar request, with a request for you to respond "yes" or "no" or "reschedule."
Though they sometimes will ask for an interview through Indeed Messenger, they will NEVER ask you to download and use other apps like Signal, Google Chat, WhatsApp - or even Microsoft Teams or Zoom - just to set up the interview via chat messaging, when you arrive!
4) *The interview itself may genuinely be through Microsoft Teams or Zoom, post-COVID - but it should be a formal meeting with audio and video when you arrive - NOT "chat only" - meaning just typing at each other through a chat messenger*
(This happened on the job I almost fell for, when I arrived to the Microsoft Teams invite, which is why I became suspicious - plus they offered me way too much money for what I do, via chat.)
5) They may ask you for proficiency testing to prove expertise.
6) They will never ask you for your SS# or bank information or offer you the job without interview and signed job offer first.
Hope this helps and be safe!
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