How To Avoid Fake Remote Jobs: 5 Tips for Beginners

You have just made the decision to be a freelancer, congratulations! This is a step forward, whether you want to do it part-time or full-time. It’s pretty lucrative in this age of technology.

So lucrative is it that fraudsters and con artists are making a killing off hard-working freelancers!

Fake online jobs are easy to spot; if you know what to look out for.

Point to note: fraudsters are constantly coming up with new ways to scam remote workers. As such, it is advisable to always be on the lookout for anything suspicious. Especially now that the idea of working from home is embraced globally.

According to the Better Business Bureau, job scams are prevalent. Yet there are workers who have never been swindled. This is because they recognized the signs of a potential scam.

Here are some of the most common pointers to potential online job scams.

1. The Scammer Initiated Contact

This is one of the most common tactics that scammers use to engage their targets. According to the BBB scam tracker, this tactic forms about 80% of employment scams. Here are some pointers that show that you are about to be scammed.

• The recruiter indicates that they found your name and address from a popular website.
• The scammer can state that they have been referred to you by someone you don’t know.
• The job offers high rates in exchange for little work
• The recruiter uses a generic email address such as Gmail, Yahoo, and Hotmail
• While legit recruiters promptly answer questions, scammers are more irritated by questions. Especially those seeking clarification on terms of engagement
• The job ad emphasizes on the possibility of more work and higher pay. But you’ll need to sign up and start working immediately. Even if you do not understand most of the job requirements

2. Email or Website Spoofing

Spoofing occurs when a scammer tries to masquerade as a legit company. Before saying yes to an online job offer, research on the company.

Here are some pointers for you when checking out postings. Especially if they look like they are from famous companies.

• The post lacks standard branding. The branding could also be inconsistent with that of the legit company
• The job description states that you need little to no prior experience. If the recruiter makes the job look easy to get, then it’s probably a scam. Real recruiters want people who are qualified and experienced
• Links to the website may look familiar but, there may be slight differences in the domain name. Fake websites might include numbers, extra letters, or unfamiliar extensions
• There are no secure online protocols. The company does not use “HTTPS” in its URL

3. The Online Job Offer Conveys Great Urgency

Most legit online job advertisers are never in a hurry to recruit employees. They take time to screen applications before shortlisting candidates. Fraudulent recruiters will push you to start working immediately. Even before they know if you can deliver what they need.

If a job advertisement pressures you to commit to a short timeline, it’s probably a scam. If the recruiter solely uses untraceable online chats to communicate, it’s a red flag. Great urgency is only meant to deny you the time to do due diligence.

4. Upfront Payments

Fraudulent advertisers will ask for upfront payments of some sort. It could be to cater for training or software that you may need to do the job. They may even state that the amount is refundable if it doesn’t meet your expectations.

Legitimate online jobs should never ask for upfront payments of any kind. Legit clients use their dime to train. Some recruiters even pay you for the training.

Avoid recruiters who ask for your credit card information. As a rule, you should never share your credit or debit card information with a potential client. They do not need that information, even when paying you for work done.

5. Bad Company Reviews

Are you suspicious of a job advert? Search the company’s name + scam on a reputable search engine. The search results may show previously reported scams associated with the company.

If a job board gives a warning about a given company, heed the warning. Note that even the most popular job listings can be laden with scammers.

As You Start Searching for Jobs Online…

It’s pretty easy to fall for a scam, especially as a beginner.  However, this should never stop you from pursuing online jobs that really pay.

In this age of technology, it is pretty easy to get opportunities suited to your skillset. You can earn a tidy sum every month from working online, even on a part-time basis.