How to avoid Online Job Scams in Kerala

Kerala is a densely populated state with a high economic rate. Even though the economic rate is exceeded, the ratio between a number of literate people is higher than that of the number of employment. Because of lack of employment, they are trying to set their career and work, by using the Internet at home. When they search for jobs Online, they are getting a lot of opportunity such as data entry, Online Business, copy paste jobs, form filling jobs, email processing, documentation etc.. But the reality is that, even if the opportunities are high, the rate of hidden traps are outrageous. The frauds and scammers are utilizing the poor monetary circumstances and high unemployment rates in India as their chance exploit innocent job seekers and to swindle them for money.

How to avoid frauds

  • To avoid these scams and fraudulent, use your own techniques to filter out the genuine jobs from the pool of Online jobs opportunities and ensure yourself about job fraudulent advertisements and job ad scams.
  • Fraudulent advertisements, fake job scams, fake job recruiters, fake job offers, fake job postings and fake job ad scams are some of the common issues we can see while going through newspapers, news channels etc..
  • When you're looking for a job by checking all the newspaper ads, job search sites, etc, you'll see a job post advertisement of a local company you may know that suits your knowledge skills and qualifications.
  • After spending your time for applying to this Job recruitment, you'll have to wait for days or a week or even a month and it goes by.
  • As a result of your curiosity to know if the position has already been filled, if you check the board again and find shockingly that job is still listed. This means you became a victim of the job scam.

What is a Job Scam?

What is a Job Scam?

Job scam is an issue happens when a con artist or a scammer acts like a business man or recruitment specialist or executive and offers appealing job openings where the job seeker has to pay a certain amount of money in advance. It is also called as employment fraud which is an endeavour to cheat people who are looking for a job or currently working, by giving them a false hope of better job opportunity, with high salary. It happens when a scammer poses as an employer or recruiter and offers a job for a needy job seeker who is desperate for getting a job. As per their demands, the money they asked will for work visas, travel expenses, registration fee, credit checks etc.. that are required for the job. The job seeker will get fooled once the amount of money they asked has been paid resulting in the disappearance of the scammer and unemployed job seeker who lost his/her precious money.

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Types of Job Scams

1) Fake Job Application Scam

  • An email is sent to a job seeker for recruitment asking to complete an application form online by visiting a link mentioned in it.
  • The link directs you to a website where you have to fill out all personal and professional information to steal your identity.
  • The message concludes by saying they will look forward to going through your application and will call you for an interview you after completing the company application.

2) Background Check Scam

  • Background check websites are sites which claim to provide Super Instant Comprehensive background checks by charging a particular amount of money.
  • But many of these sites only provide a little amount of information according to our needs.
  • These online traps are called online background check scams.

3) Training Materials Scam

  • The organization will requests the applicants to finish interview tasks such as developer training, software training, testing on accounting questions etc..
  • They will offer you that they will set up a software program so you can easily work at home without attending the office.
  • The scammer will claim to provide the job seeker with the materials and book for their work. Instead of that, they will send a cashier's cheque to pay the charge for the materials before the delivery.
  • The candidate is directed to deposit the money into the specified bank then withdraw funds, and then send those funds through any Money Transfer Agencies to get the training materials.
  • After spending the money, the candidate won't get the material and will become a victim of a scam. This type of scam is called training materials scam.

4) Start-Up Kit Scams

  • Start-Up businesses are common victims of Fraudulent Start-Up Kit Scams because of the lack of resources.
  • The individuals who register to access start-up kit which is a trap, can create a high impact of losing a greater amount of money than he/she have to spend for a larger business.

5) Direct Deposit Before Interview Scam

  • The job seeker is offered a job by the scammer through an email.
  • The email content says that the applicant has to pay a particular amount of money by means of Direct Deposit with the organization's banking institution.
  • They won't claim extra cost for the service to make it seem genuine.
  • The candidate is sent to a website to sign in and you will receive a message saying "In the wake of enlisting your Direct Deposit affirmation, please react back to this email with your interview date/time. Recollect that, you require your Direct Deposit account data before your meeting, as we will be preparing your payment data around then."

6) Job Training Scam

  • Jobs and employment scams trick you into handing over your money by offering you a guaranteed way to make fast money or a high-paying home based job for little effort.
  • This scam is also called Get Rich Quick Scams.

7) Instant Messaging Scam

A scammer, posing as a recruiter for a well-known company, communicates with job-seekers via instant message and eventually offers them a work-at-home job with benefits and tuition assistance. Before job training can begin, the candidate has to purchase more expensive training software.

8) Online Training Scam

  • In this type of scam, the job seeker gets an email from a person about a job vacancy they contacted and applied for has been filled.
  • They have another job that the applicant is qualified for, but he/she have to do some online training and they will charge a fee for it.
  • This scams usually use the names of a legitimate company or top companies and an email id which matches the name of the real company.

9) Trial Employment Scam

  • The candidate is informed that they were chosen as one of few people to go through a few days of trial or training period in a well-known organization.
  • The name of the organization and the site appear to be genuine and legitimate, however, they request you to fill out an agreement with personal and professional information including your SIN(Social Insurance number) details.

10) Credit Report Scam

  • An email is sent to the applicant saying "After reading your resume, we would like to discuss the job opportunity with you.
  • For that, you have to attend next step in the hiring process in which you have to get your credit score checked.
  • The candidate is directed to another website where they will ask you to input your personal information including your name, address, social security number, etc.
  • In some cases, the job seekers are fooled by websites that offer free credit reports. But the credit report you get from these sites is not completely free as they charge for their services.
  • There are some hidden traps that you can end up getting into by allowing to pay access to your credit report if you're not careful.

11) Software/Programs Scam

  • Fraudsters often utilize the names of a top and well-known companies to carry out their crime, which makes them look more genuine.
  • Fraudsters disguise themselves as Tech Support of top IT companies like Microsoft or Apple may contact you and tell you there is a problem with your device, e.g. validate your Windows software.
  • They may ask you for credit card information to validate your software and the may loot money from you.
  • This is why it's important to think twice before giving out any personal information.

12) False Promises Scam

These scams offer you the false promises of a legacy or an inheritance to deceive you into separating with your cash or sharing your bank account or credit card details.

Scams which Access your Credit Card Information

How to Recognise a Job Scam?

  • Does not show the organization name
  • Messages from an email address that does not match the organisation name
  • Doesn't give the company's contact name, details such as company address, phone number, etc.. and title of individual who is sending the email.
  • Offers to pay a large amount of money for the work
  • Offers you a job without having a meeting or interview
  • Asks you to pay money as the application fee for applying
  • Tells you to transact money from one bank account to another
  • You will receive a cheque before you start working
  • Asks for your bank account or credit card numbers
  • Asks for personal document's copy
  • Ask you to pay via courier or wire service
  • Offers you to pay large amount of money for allowing to use your bank account often for depositing and transferring money
  • Sends you large amount cheque unexpectedly

Tips to Avoid Online Job Scams

Tips to Avoid Online Job Scams
  • Do not accept cheques or pay money. Authorised employers won't ask you to do this.
  • Only pay for pre-employment screening ie; Pay for any type of training, screening, etc. after you are confirmed that the company actually hired you.
  • Research about the company by visiting the company website. You can also visit glass door, Google business listing, big boards sites and participate in the discussion or review section. If the information doesn't match what was included in the job description, this could be a problem.
  • Study and learn carefully the job description they have provided. If the website contains incomplete information, no salary stated, missing company or contact information, then it is a scam or fraud website.
  • Do not provide them with your personal details such as bank account or credit card numbers.
  • Avoid applying for jobs that guarantee you quick financial success. Job postings that offer you high income for an online part-time job or home based work is probably a scam.
  • Beware when a person contacts you for a job you have never applied for. This can be a scam, be suspicious of being offered a job without applying or without facing an interview, especially if they ask for detailed personal information before you are interviewed.
  • Check whether it is a fake interview or not. Ask direct questions if it is needed to be sure the company and job are authorized. Avoid jobs where the employer is not specific about your responsibilities, duties, principles and salary.
  • Do not provide your personal and banking information before the company offer of a job via phone or in online applications. An authorized employer will need this information, but only when you are hired.

How to Report a Fake Job?

  • 1) Report nearest police station

  • 2) Report to the Indian Cyber Crime department if your case is related to Cyber Harassment, Cyberstalking, Online harassment etc...

  • 3) Report on Hi-Tech Crime Enquiry Cell (HTCEC)

  • 4) Register Cyber Crime Complaint With Cyber Cell of Police

  • 5) File a Report in Internet Crime Complaint Center(IC3)

  • 6) Report about the Fraudulent Website to Google


To know more, visit:
  • http://www.cyberlawsindia.net/internetfraud.html
  • http://kerala.gov.in/cyber-cell
  • http://blog.ipleaders.in/how-to-register-cyber-crime-complaint-with-cyber-cell-of-police-online-complaint-procedure/
  • http://keralapolice.org/contacts/helpline/cyber-cell
  • http://www.thebalance.com/how-to-report-a-job-scam-2062184
  • http://india.gov.in/official-website-serious-fraud-investigation-office
  • http://cybercrimecomplaints.com/