Scam jobs are fake adverts, usually used to obtain data from people, such as contact or card details. Sometimes it can be hard to tell if a job is legitimate or not, which is why we’ve put together our top tips on how to spot a fraudulent advert. 

If something in the job ad sounds too good to be true, then unfortunately it probably is. A major red flag is if the job appears to pay much higher than the industry standard for similar roles. Also, a job appears to have little to no entry requirements it’s likely to be a scam. If it’s a real job, the requirements will usually be quite specific.

No legitimate employer would send emails from a personal email address. If they claim to be from a large, reputable employer then check that the format of the email address follows the standard for the company. 

Before agreeing to an interview or accepting a position, research the company. Search for both the company’s name and email address. Be wary if you cannot find any information on the company online. 

No reputable employer would ask for money or confidential information. Alarm bells should be ringing if you’re asked to provide bank details before you’re given a signed contract, or to pay for training or software. 

The best thing to do is to trust your instincts. If you begin to feel that something isn’t right, then don’t be afraid to ask questions. Do as much research as possible and if you think you are being targeted by scam employers then report it to the police.