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How to Identify Fake Online Jobs

Online scammers use advanced tactics to trick job-seekers into applying for fake jobs and companies. 

Newcomers looking to land a first job attract scammers, especially if you aren’t familiar with the Canadian job market. Online criminals use platforms like Facebook newcomer groups and job boards to post fake job opportunities to steal your money and identity. 

Warning Signs of a Fake Job

You never know who you are communicating with online, but here are some signs to look out for when applying to job postings online:

To spot a fake job offer, look for things like:

• A social media group post with little information. The post might indicate the position available and the salary, but nothing more.
• You can’t easily find online information on the person who posted the job. Usually, it’s someone with little to no network connections and no direct connection to a real business. Real recruiters will have a presence on LinkedIn with a big network of contacts and clear information connecting them to the company they represent. 
• The person you are communicating with is located outside of Ontario or Canada.
• The company was “spoofed" (copied and faked) to look real, but the recruiter or hiring manager you are talking to can't be linked to the real company.
• They leave out the hiring company's name. The scammer will ask you to send them a direct message (DM) for more information. If they use a business name, there is little to no information on them online.
  *Note: Third-party recruiters will sometimes leave the client's name (the business they represent) out of the request, this is normal. Remember always to verify that the recruiter is linked to a legitimate business.

Search the person you are communicating with online to ensure they are who they say they are. LinkedIn is a good place to start, to make sure they exist, as well as the company they represent. If it’s a real recruiter, you can find information on them easily, connecting them to their business.

A fake business will have little or no online information on the company, mailing address, phone number, website, email address or hiring manager.

Research wages before you apply for work to compare. Use the Compare Wages tool from the Government of Canada to have a general idea of what jobs pay across Canada. 

Make sure to ask others who you trust what they think of the opportunity presented. If you are new to Canada and have yet to make community connections, contact a settlement agency or community center near you. Settlement agents and employment mentors can help guide you. 

Job Offers Received by Text

Most recruiters will not contact you by text to offer a job opportunity. They will only do that if you’ve already applied for a job to them directly and provided your contact information. 

Other Tips to Keep in Mind 

If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Canadian employers will never ask or do the following: 

• Ask you to submit your resume to the company's “career website,” but the job posting doesn't exist on the company’s official website.
• Interview you on Google Hangouts/Chat, Telegram App., WhatsApp, or texting apps, or there is no interview at all.
• Use emails to communicate with you from free accounts like Gmail, Yahoo, or Hotmail.
• Ask you to pay to get the job. You are never required to pay anything to start a career in Canada.
• Make you purchase any type of equipment for which they promise to reimburse you by the company later. 
• Ask to send you money before you even start working with them as part of the onboarding process - you’re required to deposit money into your personal bank account and transfer it to unknown persons/companies.
• Ask you to send them money as part of the onboarding process via Bitcoin or cryptocurrency, iTunes cards, gift cards, etc.

You’ve been scammed. Now what?

Once scammers gain access to your information, they will continue to contact you because they know it worked before. If you were a victim of an online employment scam, fraud, or any other type of scam, you can take the following steps to protect yourself and prevent the scammer from contacting you:

• Change your phone number, and passwords to accounts that may have been affected and social media sites
• Report it to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre (1-888-495-8501)
• Contact your bank and credit card companies 
• Contact Equifax Canada (1-800-465-7166)
• Contact TransUnion Canada to learn more about identity theft and fraud (1-800-663-9980)

Check out the Recent Fraud Alerts page from the Government of Canada often for the most recent scams circulating.