Alert! Job offer scams are on rise; here is how to avoid falling for these

Scammers have become extremely clever these days, making it difficult to determine whether a job offer is fake or a legitimate one. The main motive behind scams is to extract hard-earned money from the candidates and disappear.

Director, Spectrum Talent Management, Vidur Gupta, lists out certain ways that will help one to determine, if the job offer is a hoax.

Never pay: If one is applying for a job in a reputed company, he/she must always remember that they do not ask for money. There are some people who receive offer letters stating that they have been selected for a particular job, for which they will have to pay a certain amount of money. These are fake job offers and one should never accept them.

Background research is a mandate: Before applying to any company for a job or before going in for an interview, one must make sure he/she does a proper research about the company. One must always visit the website of the company and if they cannot find it online, then they must consider it as a scam. Every decent company has its own website, with contact information systematically listed.

Job details: If the job details are not mentioned in the job posting, try finding out whether the candidates will be paid a commission or if there is a salary. The candidates must clarify all details regarding the pay scale; how they will be paid and when. If the company doesn't assure them an hourly rate or salary, then they should drop the idea of the job.

Interview process: The interview should be formal. Rather than giving a telephonic interview, always believe in a face to face interaction. Scammers also conduct unethical interviews, which can be risky.

Use Google: Google should be one's ultimate source of information. Try searching for the company name on Google. It will provide you with all the relevant information, and if Google doesn't give you a name, do not bother applying. Thereafter, type the company name along with 'scam' to find information about reported scams.

Be very careful: If a job posting sounds too good to be legitimate, the candidate must verify it. Moreover, no good company asks for confidential information. If one receives a mail after applying for the job asking for the bank credentials, he/she should be sure that it is a scam. Before providing any information, one must make sure that the company is secure by looking at its website, it must be listed by 'HTTPS'.

There may be identity theft, loss of confidential information, if one falls prey to a scammer. Before applying for any job online, one must do their research properly.

Every fake job has some kind of payment involved in it. Therefore, one must always stay one step ahead with the tips given above to find a legitimate job.