In the past few years, we have seen an increase in the use of internet as a medium for job applications. Several web portals, including local ones, have popped up. They list jobs and you can apply with the click of a button.

However, as with positive progress in any field, a negative aspect also comes into play most of the times. Fraudsters and fakers use these portals to grab information about working or future professional for their own agenda.

Job Opening Frauds

Professionals looking for jobs sometimes search these job portals for opportunities related to their field. While most job portals try their best to filter out fake job providers, some relatively new ones tend to have many fake job opportunities which stay posted for years.

These fake job openings are shared on job portals as well as social media. The objective here is to lure people into giving up their personal information unknowingly. More of than not, the companies offering these fake jobs don’t reply. If they do, it’s to fool the applicant into getting something more from the applicants, e.g. money. It is often heard that a company was sending people abroad for jobs but vanished after making millions from the applicants.

Recent Activities

Recently, there have been reports of secret agents working to gather CVs and personal information of professionals. A group was reportedly caught by Pakistani law enforcers. In this case, the groups probably use the information for identity theft, or to blackmail or use the applicant for malicious purposes like terrorism.

A message making the rounds on social media goes as below:

“- Det (CI) just caught a group of individuals who’s job was to collect personal/ official data of professionals. – The Group has backing of banned outfits and Indian intelligence agency. Please do not fwd msgs of CVs and/or Job Opportunities unless source is cfm and reliable. Please only send the CV once the Position / Company / Institution is Authentic. Most of such messages have turned out to be Fake and circulated with the intention of collecting data / info. THIS MAY BE USED AGAINST YOU.”

There have also been news of people being contacted by Careers Pakistan, an online job portal. People are texted that their profile is best suited for the job and that they should get back by responding with their CVs to a certain email address.

You never get the job, but don’t be surprised if spam messages are a common occurrence at your email address and mobile number. You might even find someone using your identity for fraudulent activity. Of course you will only know of it once the police is at your doorstep.

Better be safe than sorry so follow the tips we’ve mentioned below to avoid getting scammed.

How to Avoid Getting Scammed

We would like to advise you to strictly refrain from sending your CV/Resume to any job opening you find. You must first verify that the company is authentic by calling them or checking their website. If someone wants you to email your CV, make sure their email address is company is on a company domain, e.g. [email protected], and not Gmail, Yahoo, Hotmail etc. That’s not how HR departments work.

In case you find that any job provider is involved in some suspicious activity, inform the job portal management or tell the police if you have already divulged personal information.