The loss of thousands of jobs in the oil and gas sector has raised the spectre of scammers offering desperate job-seekers bogus jobs, warns the province.

Service Alberta cites at least one fictitious company, Dayglo Oil & Gas Co., which is offering jobs for an upfront fee. The money is generally said to cover work visas, travel expenses or other steps in a pre-screening process.

But once the money is paid the person is out of pocket and still out of work, the province says.

Service Alberta recommends calling the company directly to get more details on jobs and the recruitment process before filling out an application or giving credit card numbers or any other personal information.

Here are more red flags to watch for: