Fake Job Postings Targeting Remote Workers

Overview

With COVID19 making working from home a new reality scammer has targeted those looking for employment that can be done remotely. Today, scam job offers appear as a common problem affecting every online platform that deals with employment, beginning with job search websites, social networks, and finishing with email spam. These scams build on people’s desire to work legally and have flexible working schedules to steal as much money and information from their targets as they can or simply force people to pay for services that do not exist.

CAFC (Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre) also reveals that fake job scams have escalated by 45% in the last year and the victims expose themselves to thousands of dollars and identity theft issues.

How the Scam Works

• Fake Job Listings

Fraudsters place balanced employment ads on original employment sites such as LinkedIn, indeed, Workopolis, or Craigslist. They often post jobs with good pay, work hours and few formalities needed to obtain them which attract new graduates, homemakers and side-jobs seekers.

• Phishing Interviews

After applying victims are invited for an “interview”, which often happens through email, text messages or applications like WhatsApp and Telegram. Genuine con artists can mimic proper manners, employers might engage their victims in the common interview. In this process, they ask for personal details such as the subject’s SIN, bank account information or copies of government-related ID for the purpose of conducting a background check or opening payroll accounts.

• Advance Fee Scams

Some victims will also be required to pay for costs of compulsory training, certification, materials, tools, computers, and other necessities. These costs are justified by the label “refundable upon employment”. Many times, once the victim has been swindled into paying the scammers, they are never seen again with their money.

• Fake Cheque Scams

The other popular scheme is that victims are sent bogus cheques under the guise that they should buy working tools. The victims deposit the cheques thinking they are real money and they pay the scammer for products from the ‘recommended supplier’. Within days or weeks, the cheques bounce and people are left to fend for whatever they spent.

Trending Case Example

More than 200 Canadians have been scammed by a fake remote job which was initially worked as a company cloned from a renowned telecommunications firm in the world in December, 2024. Victims were told that they should apply for a legal compensation on a website that looked quite legitimate. Bogus callers demanded paid subscriptions to premium tools or equipment coupled with the assurance of a refund. They disappeared after receiving the payments, and the affected people said they lost between $300 and $2,000.

An anonymous Toronto contributor said, “The website had a legitimate look and feel, and the interviews did not seem bogus at all.” I even got an official looking message saying that I’ve been offered the job. It took him a call to the real company to learn that the job offer was fake and that he had been conned.”

Warning Signs of Fake Job Offers

1. Unverified Employers: Usually, the e-mail from the swindler was free or has an ordinary e-mail address such as Gmail, Yahoo etc.
2. Unrealistic Offers: Avoid jobs that offer communication through email, high pay for little work, and guarantee that they can make you a millionaire.
3. Upfront Fees: Persons of reasonable working capacity understand that legitimate employers do not ask you to pay for a training, equipment, and other costs in the capacity of an employee.
4. Vague Job Descriptions: There’s a common trend where scammers don’t outline specific job descriptions or even basic information about the business.
5. High-Pressure Tactics: Some of the scammers are likely to pressurize you into making the move faster and most importantly stressing on the fact that you’ve been offered the particular position.

How to Protect Yourself

• Check on the authenticity of the Company

Use company website, LinkedIn page or the Better Business Bureau site to get the best and most credible information about the company. They should be reached by phone which is usually displayed publicly to confirm the authenticity of the job posting.

• Protect Sensitive Information

Do not disclose your SIN (Social Insurance Number), banking information or other personal details until you’re sure that the employer is real. In contrast to what the IRSS states, majority of Canadian employers don’t ask for SIN until a candidate is offered a job.

• Be Cautious with Cheques

Never cash a check which has been sent to you by an employer through mail without first contacting the employer to verify the check. Counterfeit cheques appear authentic but are dishonored when paid, thus causing you to suffer the loss.

Resources for Victims

In case you realize that you are a victim of fake job scam, then it is important to act sharply in order to avoid unpleasant consequences. Here are detailed steps to take:

• Report the Incident

The Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre (CAFC) can be reached at: The CAFC has learnt about these scams and understands what action should be taken with regard to the scams. You can submit the scam on their site or through the toll-free number 1 888 495 8501.

Contact the specific employment board or the Website be it LinkedIn, Indeed or any other where the scam was posted. Thus, such Web sites are useful to seek out fake jobs and introduce frauds to prevent others from becoming victims.

• Notify the Authorities

Since the authorities need to know the identification of patterns and how to prevent the occurrence of scams, you should report your case to the police via the law enforcement department of your region. Try to as much as possible include us much details as possible such as transcript of your communication with the scammer, copies of receipts paid to the scammer among other proofs.

• Monitor Your Credit

Add fraud alerts to Equifax and TransUnion that are some of the leading credit bureaus within Canada. A fraud alert warns credit grantors to call and request identification to open an account in your name, preventing identity theft.

Equifax: To do so call 1-800-465-7166 or go online and complete a fraud alert form.

TransUnion: To setup an alert one may call the toll-free number, 1-877-525-3823 or opt for their online services.

If you think you are a victim of an identity theft that involves the use of your SIN or financial data you can try putting your credit on freeze. A credit freeze makes it impossible for any credit company to issue any credit in the consumer’s name until they thaw the freeze.

• Seek Legal Advice

If SIN for instance has been disclosed seek the legal counsel to find out your liability and how to avoid future risks.

To report a lost or stolen or potentially compromised SIN, one needs to contact Service Canada. They do this if fraud is established, and they may even provide a new SIN.

If, for example, you have sent the money through the wired transfer or through such payment services such PayPal, then it is recommended to address a legal or a consumer protection service with a view of learning how you can reclaim the money.

• What to Communicate to Your Banking Institution

If you have shared your banking details or made any payments to a con artist, report to your bank as soon as you can. They could assist in one preventing more transactions from being made, two in recovering the money or three in giving out new account particulars to safeguard your money.

For fraudulent cheques, make sure your bank has investigated the case and marked the scam on your account.

• Secure Your Online Accounts

If the scam was to open fake profiles on fake job sites or sharing of usernames and passwords, change your password at once.

Always set and come up with good and distinct passwords and ensure you employ Two Factor Authentications (2FA’s) if available. This makes your accounts more secure than if you use only your usernames and passwords.

• Spread Awareness

Talk to your family members, friends, friends’ friends on social media sites and just let people know about this scam.

However, they may wish to post such reviews or comments in scam reporting forums or consumers’ protection websites, including the Scam watch or Better Business Bureau, so as guide others in their search for jobs.

Conclusion

False job advertisements are now rampant, more so now that many workplaces are transitioning to remote working. The victims are takes by fake companies offering them good jobs and end up losing money and having their identity stolen. It is only through taking time and serous effort to do some research that you can keep yourself and others from being conned into such scams.

In case of any suspicion on the job post, do not hesitate to report it to the website, to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre or the police. As a team, it is possible to minimize the effects of the aforementioned types of frauds.