Ever been fleeced off your money with the expectation of getting hired? If you have, you aren’t the first; neither will you be the last. In Kenya, several fraudsters are out to con unsuspecting job seekers desperate for a job.
Students from top universities fall prey to these fake job advertisements. Some have unknowingly applied for the fake vacancies, which ranged from internships, part-time jobs and attachment positions. Questionably, all the applicants qualified for the vacancies, as per the e-mails they received some time later from the supposed recruiters and instead of being called for interviews, they were to attend a one day training that would be conducted at the University’s hall and they were required to pay for the staff identification card costing them Ksh. 450 and a training fee of Ksh. 300. This money was to be sent to a particular number, which seemingly belonged to the Human Resource Manager of the hiring organization.
On the day of the supposed training, the students stocked the University hall, excited about their new job prospects. Training organizers never showed up after hours of the students waiting. Attempts to reach the organizer were futile. It soon dawned on them, they were conned.
This can happen to anyone desperate to get a job. Here are some of the tips that will help you avoid being a victim of such scams in future.
1.Never send money or provide bank details to a recruiter at first instance
Most recruiters don’t ask for personal details e.g. the bank card details. Secondly, most recruiters will not ask you to pay anything to secure an interview. Victims are told to pay fees before their interview dates which would later be reimbursed in their salaries. These are all fallacies.
2.Beware of jobs on social media and websites and reception of e-mails from recruiters
Be cautious of jobs on social media since this is a popular avenue for online scammers. Fake Facebook, Twitter or Linked In pages might be used to promote these “opportunities”. Practice caution as some legitimate social media pages can also be used to spread this falsehood after they have been hacked.
E-mails on job opportunities from recruiters you don’t remember applying to should be avoided. A smart job seeker verifies that the social media accounts posting jobs are genuine before they click the “apply” button. Track down the employer’s official telephone numbers and call to independently confirm the availability of these vacancies before applying for them.
3.If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is
Be wary of offers that seem to be presented to you on a silver platter. Don’t succumb to the pressures to make decisions instantly. Take your time to seek advice from friends and family before making important career decisions lest you might be tempted to accept deceptive offers from scammers.
4.If suspicious, share and spread the word
A problem shared is a problem half solved. If you tell others about a scam that you fell for, chances are that they won’t fall for the same trick. Often, unsuspecting individuals seeking jobs perpetuate the fraud further by keeping silent in turn, friends and families apply for the fake vacancies as well.
It is important to identify trusted job websites that publish jobs that have been verified.
Unemployment is rampant and everyone wants to secure a job. Following the steps above might help you distinguish the real opportunities from the fakes. The only thing more painful than being jobless and wasting lots of time and energy applying for non-existent jobs is losing your money in the process.
This article was written by Capital Campus Contributor Isaac Shiundu.
