We provide the largest number of jobs announcements in the development fields  

THIRD ARTICLE

Beware of scams when job hunting online

Preventive measures to help avoid employment fraud

Job scams have been around as long as jobs themselves. Until recently, con artists were limited to using slow and inefficient cold-calling and printed classified ads to perpetrate their cons. Today, the very things that make the Internet so convenient for job seekers-global coverage, convenience, and speed-have made it much easier and less risky for criminals to practice employment fraud.

The following are two common online job scams to watch out for with some tips to help you job hunt more safely online.

Phony job opportunities

By creating phony job ads that look like the real thing, scammers hope to fool eager and unwary job hunters into sending them personal information (called phishing), often posting them on legitimate job sites.

These phony job ads continue to become more sophisticated, often using familiar-looking or convincing company logos and verbiage, sometimes even providing links to fake Web sites that appear to be those of real organizations. They might also charge fees for services they will never render. Typically then after a few days, the thieves close down the scam and disappear.

Unsolicited job recruiters

On the flip side, after scanning personal Web pages and resumes on public job sites, con artists sometimes pose as job recruiters and send out unsolicited e-mail (or spam) to prospective candidates with job opportunities or staffing services.

A job scam artist will attempt to gain their victim's confidence with well-rehearsed pitches and phony resources to extract personal information, even over the phone. It's important to remember that this information typically is not required before an in-person interview.

The following tips can help you keep your job search safer and more productive.

Best practices for online job hunters

What to do if you encounter a job scam

If you believe you’ve encountered a fraudulent job ad online or you're the victim of a Web-based job scam, report it immediately to the organization used to list the ad, the Federal Trade Commission, and the Internet Fraud Complaint Center (IFCC.)

FOURTH ARTICLE

Avoiding Employment and Work-at-Home Scams

From Alison Doyle: One of the questions I get asked most often is how to tell whether a work from home job posting is a scam or a legitimate job.  There are some warning flags. In addition, there are sites that can help you determine what's a real work at home job and what isn't.

Scams can also be an issue when looking for jobs that don't involve working at home. Job sites try to police the listings, but, it's hard to catch all the bad listings in a timely manner. Be careful when reviewing postings to make sure that you're not taken advantage of by unscrupulous job posters.

Evaluating Job Listings - Check Out Carefully the Job Listings

If it isn't listed in the job posting, find out if there's a salary or if you're paid on commission. For work at home jobs, ask how often are you paid and how you are paid. Ask what equipment (hardware/software) you need to provide.

You Won't Get Rich Quick (Really)

Avoid listings that guarantee you wealth, financial success or that will help you get rich fast. Stay clear of listings that offer you high income for part-time hours. They will do none of the above.

Hang on to Your Money

Do not send money! Legitimate employers don't charge to hire you or to get you started. Don't send money for work at home directories or start-up kits.

Check References

Ask for references if you're not sure about the company's legitimacy. Request a list of other employees or contractors to find out how this has worked for them. Then contact the references to ask how this is working out. If the company isn't willing to provide references (names, email addresses and phone numbers) do not consider the opportunity.

Think Twice

If it sounds too good to be true, you can be sure it is! Also, read any "offers" you get very carefully. One candidate for employment got a very detailed job offer from an employer. The only problem was that she hadn't applied for the job and buried deep within the lines was a request for her bank account information, so the employer could pay her. It was a scam, of course, but with some of the well-written ones it can be hard to tell.

The Work at Home Jobs You Don't Want

Assembly Jobs - No, you can't make lots of money assembling craft kits or any other type of kits.  You can waste money on a package to get you started though.

Data Entry Jobs - You'll see lots of listings for data entry jobs. They are usually either positions posting ads or a sales pitch for a kit that will get you started.

Multi-Level Marketing (MLM) which involves recruiting new people, and more new people, to sell the product.  If all you are doing is trying to find more people to do what you're doing, keep in mind that there are probably thousands of other people attempting to do the same thing. None of them are getting rich.

Online Businesses - Do you want to start your own online business and get rich? Be very wary of these type of ads too.  What you will do is end up paying for a guide to working at home which duplicates information you can find free.

Posting Ads - There are lots of ads saying workers are needed to post ads on online bulletin boards and forums.  You don't get paid to post, rather you may get paid if other people sign-up.

Processing Claims - In order to get "hired" you'll need to buy equipment, software and pay for training. 

Stuffing Envelopes - Believe it, or not, there are still people saying that you can earn $3 or $4 per envelope to stuff them. You can't. All major companies have postage machines which stuff, sort and meter mail.

The winner in the scam contest are the sites that offer to sell provide you with information on only legitimate work at home jobs - for a nominal fee, of course.   Don't do it!

TIP FROM DEVJOBS:

Be careful about work-at-home promoters because some of them are fake and only want to fool you by selling non-existent software.

There were previous incidents when fake employers announce jobs through DEVJOBS, and they ask applicants to pay a certain application or software fees. Some of these are promoters of so-called "work-at-home" schemes. Please be specially careful about this kind of con artists. Avoid them at all costs. Currently, DEVJOBS do not anymore allow "work-at-home" job ads.