Job seekers must beware of net scams

Many people looking for work will go online because of the ease and speed of interaction, as well as the broad range of vacancy ads.

Once you've uploaded your CV at a portal, you can attach it to any number of applications and confirm delivery within seconds. Unfortunately, as with all internet-based interaction, there are risks.

Bronwyn Johnson, head of marketing at Kalahari Ads, has seen it all before. "Job scams have been around as long as jobs themselves, but the advent of the internet has made employment fraud much easier and less risky for criminals. Job seekers need to be aware of what to look out for," she said.

She said there were two main types of scams to look out for: job hunting and employment scams.

"They may sound like the same thing, but they each have a different modus operandi. The most common scam associated with job hunting involves the request for a deposit, usually associated with work-at-home opportunities. These types of scams work when an 'employer' says that a deposit is needed to start working for them. They will probably tell you that the deposit will be used for supplies and training materials, but, remember, you should never have to pay for anything to get a job."

When it comes to employment scams, these usually involve the fraudster attempting to get hold of your personal details. "As with the job-hunting scams, these are usually focused on offering work-from-home opportunities where the scammer offers a job that doesn't exist. The 'employer' will then ask you to fill out documentation or ask you for your bank account information to set up a direct deposit for work done," Johnson warned.

"Once they have your personal information, you are likely to never hear from them again. However, you will most likely find yourself with an identity theft problem. The best way to avoid falling victim to this type of scam is by using your best judgment - if a job sounds too good to be true, it probably is, and be cautious of any opportunity that requires paying a deposit or a listing that wants your personal information before you know exactly what you will be doing."

Also be wary of scams that state that there are only a certain number of openings left, contacts that have strange or free e-mail addresses or job ads that require you to meet the prospective 'employer' at strange times and unusual places.

"In today's economic climate, many people are tempted to pick up an easy job for extra cash. 'Admin' job, 'typing' job, 'research' job and data-capture job offers are very common. There are legitimate companies, like the Direct Selling Association, who use these classifieds and also use 'work from home' as key words, but the jobs section in classifieds usually has one of the highest percentages of scams - averaging around 70% - although, with our vigorous moderation, Kalahari Ads is sitting below 20% and dropping."

Moderation includes calling recruiters to ensure they are genuine and requiring detailed contact information on behalf of potential applicants.

"We will never be able to eliminate scam adverts entirely, and that is why we encourage people to always follow our safe suggestions when applying for a vacancy," Johnson added.

Tips for online job seekers

Sharon Knowles, head of operations at Kalahari Ads, gives guidelines on how to get work online:

• Never provide any non-work related personal information such as an ID, credit card number, bank details, home address, marital status, through e-mail, over the phone, in a fax or on your CV;
• Double-check the company details of a prospective employer by calling the company to verify that they are contracted to seek prospective employees;
• Only meet during work hours at a secure location, usually at the company premises. If this isn't an option, notify a friend of your whereabouts or, better still, take someone with you;
• Beware of anyone who asks you for money up front;
• Carefully evaluate contact information in the ads, looking out for spelling errors, e-mail addresses that do not feature company names, inconsistencies with area codes, duplicate ads for different areas, duplicate ads with the same contact details but different description details; and
• Create a web-based e-mail account to respond to adverts, separate from the address you use for your personal communication.