“Scam Likely” Remote Jobs | How to Spot Them Hero Image

“Scam Likely” Remote Jobs | How to Spot Them

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Cyber-crimes are at an all time high. With the COVID-19 pandemic increasing the risk of cyber-attacks, remote job scams specifically are sweeping the job market. Eager for work from home opportunities, many job seekers are falling prey to remote work scams. This article will uncover common scam strategies and equip professionals to expertly discriminate between a legit work from home job and a sham.

The Pandemic Fuels the Desire for Remote Work

The COVID-10 Pandemic has exacerbated the issue of cyber crimes and made workers more vulnerable. As Lallie Singh Harjinder pointed out in her 2021 study, “changes to working practises and socialization mean people are now spending increased periods of time online. In addition to this, rates of unemployment have also increased, meaning more people are sitting at home online- it is likely that some of these people will turn to cyber-crime to support themselves”(Harjinder Singh Lallie, et al. 2021). Both the perpetrators and victims have took to desperate measures to survive during this economic downturn. It is not uncommon for desperate professionals to ignore red flags and hope for the best.

Common Scam Strategies

Job scams are only getting more clever. If remote job seekers are protect themselves from scammers, they must study their strategies. Here are some signs to watch out for.

The Pay Is Too Good

The pay should line up with the work you are doing. For example, a remote entry-level customer service role will pay $20-$24 per hour. If the offer exceeds the market pay and is around $30-$33, that is suspicious. If it feels too good to be true, it probably is.

They Ask for Money to Ship Equipment

A common trick is for scammers to request payment to ship equipment that will be reimbursed on your first check (the check that never comes). Most hiring managers do not require new hires to pay for new equipment or for shipping.

The Email Isn’t Connected to A Business

Employees representing a business should have uniform emails. If an employee reaches out to you, the latter part of their email address should send you directly to the company’s website. For example, Wollborg Michelson’s employees have the ending, @wmjobs.com. This is for uniformity and credibility. As the 2022 article, “5 Common Work-From-Home Scams (And How to Spot Them)”, on Indeed mentions, “when you receive an email from an employer, make sure to look at their email address to see if it looks like other employers’.” (Indeed Editorial Team 2022).

Real Work From Home Jobs Do Exist!

There are real work from home opportunities available. At Wollborg Michelson Recruiting, we’ve placed over 100,000 candidates on assignment and over 40% in work from home roles. Visit our website to apply for a work from home role today! https://www.wmjobs.com/for-candidates/And as you continue your search for remote work, remember to use discernment and watch out for those three signs to protect yourself.

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