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Coding Fatale
Coding Fatale

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How to spot fake job posts and offers

9 months ago, I received a message in my inbox about a job. When I finally looked at the message it was clear to me that the job was a scam. It only took me seconds to know that it was a not a real job offer.

Here are the signs of fake jobs:

1. Little or no information about the job.

There is no information provided or the job description is too vague. The only thing mentioned was "a phone and laptop" were the only requirements for the job.

2. Bad grammar and misspellings.

Grammatical errors in the job description are red flags and a common sign of a fraudulent job offers.

3. The pay is too good to be true.

The pay was $2700 per week and claimed to be an office assistant job (see #1 above). It sounded very suspicious and did not make any sense to me. A indication of a spam message sent out to many people as possible to lure them into this scam.

4. Malicious links (DON'T CLICK)

Shady links are the norm when it comes to fake jobs. Strange links to a website that does not exist are embedded in messages. It can be virus that can compromise your security.

5. Fake profiles

The benefit of LinkedIn and social media is that you can easily spot fake accounts. If you witness a fake profile pretending to be a recruiter sending direct messages offering jobs, report them immediately.

The targets are mostly job seekers and college students. I find it necessary to share information on job scams. These actions are predatory and take advantage of individuals.

Any stories or encounters with job posts and offers that where fraudulent?

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