DirectlyApply Job Seeker Guidance

Last updated: April 13 2021

DirectlyApply Job Seeker Guidance 

DirectlyApply is committed to finding a job for everyone.  However, as the number of online job seekers has risen so has the number of criminals who are looking to exploit job seekers with numerous scams as a means of extracting personal information and bank details.

Although you can never be 100% safe online, below we offer some guidance on how to safely search for jobs and reduce your chances of getting scammed:

Check the email address

If you are applying for a job at a well known company, be cautious of email addresses which don't originate from the organisation's primary / own domain.  Below are examples of types of email addresses to avoid:

AppleJobs@gmail.com , JobsAtWallmart@yahoo.com , AmazonHiring@live.com etc.

Scammers will often use free email providers to create email addresses with the name of a recognisable brand to try and dupe job seekers into applying. 

Furthermore, more advanced scammers will set up fraudulent domains that at first glance appear to be genuine which make their email addresses seem even more convincing, for example:

Apply@AppleJobs.com , Jobs@Nikee.com , HR@Amazon-Hire.com etc

These are harder to spot, so whenever you receive an email regarding a job opportunity, it's always worth taking the time to double check by googling the domain that the email address originates from.

 Requests for money or bank details

Scam employers will often ask for money under what might seem like a reasonable request, for example to cover the cost of carrying out security / police checks or to go towards the cost of a training programme.  Unfortunately it is almost always that case that if you are being asked for money as part of the application process, the job on offer is likely to be a scam.

Caution should also be applied if you are asked for your bank details very early on in the job application process.  Whilst it goes without saying that an employer will need your bank details in order to pay your salary, be very careful of job ads that ask for your bank details straight away as this is often a warning sign of a money laundering scam.

Typically described as ‘work from home’ opportunities, money laundering scams involve you moving relatively small amounts of cash through your personal bank account, often under the guise that you are helping to ‘process payments’, but in actual fact you are assisting in a serious act of fraud.

The above examples are unfortunately just two of the numerous ways in which a scammer will try and trick you into handing over money or gaining access to your bank account.  As a rule of thumb, you should always treat any request for your bank details with extreme caution and a legitimate job should be paying you for time, effort and experience, instead of asking you to pay upfront for a career opportunity.

Write and send your resume with caution

With identity theft showing no signs of abating, you should always be careful as to what personal information you give out online.  On your resume, there is no need to include your home address or date of birth and furthermore, you should also avoid giving out any personal / family information or details.  You have to assume that the information you provide on your resume will be viewed publicly and therefore it is better to err on the side of caution. 

If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is

Criminals and fraudsters know how to play on people's emotions and vulnerabilities.  If you see a job advertisement that looks beyond your wildest dreams, then you should approach it with a high level of scepticism.  Lucrative work from home schemes, way above average salary level or offering you the job before you have had a formal interview are all red flags when it comes to employment scams.  Ultimately they are using these tactics as a way to lure you into handing over money or your bank details.    

Premium Rate Phone Scams

Some scammers will ask you to call them on a premium rate telephone number for an initial phone screen / interview.  Then you are either kept on hold for a prolonged period of time or they will conduct a lengthy phone interview to ensure they wrack up a hefty bill at your end.  The simplest way to avoid this happening to you is to ‘google’ the telephone number you have been asked to ring in advance of the call and see if it is charged out at premium rate or has been previously associated with scam or nuisance calls.   

Go with your gut

When searching for a job, trust your intuition.  In addition to the points raised above, poorly written job advertisements, vague job description & requirements, the employer contacting you first as opposed to you applying to them, interviews conducted over messaging apps can all be signs that something isn’t quite right.

If you have any doubts as to whether the opportunity is real, halt your application and conduct research (both on and offline) into the company and any purported employees that have made contact with you.  If you do feel that you have been the victim of a scam, report the matter to the relevant law authorities and immediately contact your bank or credit card company to let them know you suspect your identity may have been stolen.

Finally

If you have any questions or concerns about anything contained within this page, please contact team@directlyapply.com and we will do our best to assist you.