Job-hunting can be stressful, but getting caught in a job scam can bring that stress to a whole new level. Stay alert and stay safe by following these tips!  

There are several variations of job scams. Here are the most common ones: 

• Bogus job listing. There’s a Help Wanted ad for a dream job, and the job-seeker applies with great optimism. They will share their information and even pay a small fee to submit their resume, or to cover alleged job supplies. Sadly for them, the job doesn’t actually exist and they will never hear from the “employer” again.

• Imposter hiring. An alleged rep from a well-known agency, government institution or hiring firm reaches out to a target asking them to send the funds to cover a screening fee to be considered for a job. While the job does exist, the representative is a scammer, and the money the victim has shared will go directly into the scammer’s pocket. 
• Phishing emails. Like any phishing scam, a victim is targeted directly via email. The email will offer the victim a fantastic job, but first ask that they share confidential information. If the victim complies, they will be giving their personal information to a scammer.  

Here are some red flags to watch out for while job-hunting:

• Unprofessional emails. If the emails you receive from a would-be employer or HR rep are riddled with spelling mistakes and typos, or are formatted in an unprofessional manner, you may be dealing with a scammer. 
• No physical company mailing address. Even a business that mostly hires remote employees needs a street address. If you can’t seem to find one on the company’s site, and the “employer” refuses to share this information with you, the company may be a cover for a scam ring. 
• Upfront fee. Most legitimate employers will not ask a new hire or hopeful employee to pay a fee for supplies or to submit a resume. If you are asked to do so, you may be looking at a scam. 
• Premature request for information. While it is perfectly okay for an employer to ask a new employee to share their Social Security number, date of birth and even their checking account information, these details should not be shared until an official contract is signed and the employee is certain the job and the employer are legitimate.

Here are several ways to protect yourself:

Before applying to or accepting a job offer, do thorough research. Ask for references of past or current employees and check out the company website to see if it is secure and has real information about the firm, including a street address. Check out the company’s social media pages, like LinkedIn, as well. Don’t be afraid to ask the hiring manager any questions you may have about the company or the job.

To help protect yourself from fraudulent activity, make sure to utilize your Benefits Plus® checking account with SeaComm! Once you upgrade your basic checking to Benefits Plus^®, you will gain access to a full range of fraud and identity-theft protection services, including fraud alerts, lost document recovery services, 90-day Purchase Protection, and much more. Click here for more information, or stop by your local SeaComm branch to enroll.

For complete information, terms, conditions and exclusions please visit www.benefits-plus.org or call 866-329-7587.

Stay informed with SeaComm’s Fraud Center. As your credit union, we want to keep you and your finances safe. That’s why we created our Fraud Center, which includes valuable resources to help educate and empower our members to protect their assets and identities. Click here to get started!