Job recruitment scams
March 2025
A job scam is when you’re offered employment that promises a high wage or a guaranteed path to fast money for little effort. Scammers will dangle this 'opportunity’ in front of you, hoping to get around your better judgement, and ultimately, gain access to your money, your bank details, and other personal information.
Signs a job could be a scam
- You receive a job offer through SMS, email or a messaging service like WhatsApp or Facebook Messenger, from a scammer posing as a well-known company.
- The job is listed on a recruitment website, a casting website, or posted on social media which looks attractive as it’s well-paying, flexible or requires little effort.
- You’re asked to buy a lot of product to sell, with a promise of reimbursement by your ‘employer’.
- You are required to use your own bank account or create an account with a cryptocurrency platform to move company funds.
How to stay safe
- Look out for signs in the email or message. Is there a sense of urgency, spelling mistakes, or if you hover over the email sender address, does it look unusual.
- Research the company by looking it up on trusted websites and read reviews. Be cautious if you can't find any information about the company or if the information seems inconsistent.
- Avoid upfront payments, legitimate employers will never ask you to pay for anything upfront. Be wary of any job offer that requires you to make a payment.
- Protect your personal information, do not share sensitive information such as your driver's license, passport, or bank details until you have verified the legitimacy of the job offer.
Remember:
If you think you’ve been the victim of a scam, please call us immediately on 0800 269 296 (or +64 4 470 3142 from overseas, charges may apply).