GUEST BLOGGER
Mustafa Yusuf-Adebola, CFE, CPA, CIA

With global economies trying to rebound after the effect of COVID-19, employers and companies have adjusted to the current situation. For many organizations, with cautious optimism in reopening, the recruitment process has shifted completely online. Terms such as “work from home” and “remote” are springing up in the job market. Though the virtual workplace is not new, the effect of the global pandemic, particularly with health and public safety guidelines, has cut out a considerable opportunity for in-person meetings.

In the past, the pre-interview and interview stages could be conducted virtually while the onboarding stage was in person at the office, but now, most of the recruitment processes — from sourcing candidates to onboarding and exit stages — is now online. This has created an opportunity for fraudsters to explore.

Posing as a legitimate employer

Recently, an individual contacted me about a new job they’d just secured. They explained the entire hiring process. They completed the interview, submitted personal details for payroll and were given a job. The first task they were given involved depositing and withdrawing money. Apparently, the recruiter was making use of the individual’s bank details to launder money. This “company” had a website, an office address and a telephone number, yet it was not a legitimate business.

It is important to understand that based on the Fraud Triangle, the fraudster seeks an opportunity. In this case and with the pandemic, that opportunity is the increased need for people to find jobs. Knowing that job seekers are sometimes desperate for a new job, fraudsters see this as a green market. The cautious opening up of economies has an added pressure for some job seekers who have faced financial pressure while also feeling restless from staying at home. What this means is that people will let down their guards and practice less due diligence.

7 ways to protect yourself from a false job listing

Along with the money laundering scenario from above, data privacy risk is another emerging risk and identity theft will occur. Here are seven tips for job seekers when searching for a position online:

Ensure that the job looks legitimate. If your instinct triggers a doubt, it most likely is right. If the job is too good to be true, it probably is.
Do your due diligence. Check the job advertiser for legitimacy by confirming that they have a robust website. While some companies do not want to reveal themselves at the pre-interview stage, verify who is advertising and whether they are real and reputable.
Check LinkedIn. There are also scams on this platform, but you can use the website to conduct some background checks. Do they have a company page? Does their company page have several followers? Do they respond to comments?
Use an alternate email address for your job search. Especially during the initial stages of your job search, it’s best to keep all personal data private. Set up a dedicated email for job searching.
Call friends and family and check local forums to ask about a company. This is particularly important when the recruiting company is new or emerging. You could even search for employees on LinkedIn and ask about their experiences with the company.
Know your rights. Depending on the country or region you are in, some information should not be asked of you and you have every right to protect it.
Report to authorities. It is always important that you take proactive and documented steps to report fraudsters online. Popular job boards and a number of companies have a reporting tool on their websites. If you are like the individual I described earlier, you may be an accessory to crime. Thus, report to the financial institutions and relevant law enforcement authorities if you suspect that your account may have been compromised.

Fraudsters are always on the lookout to steal identities, launder money or commit other financial crimes. Be careful not to fall into these emerging traps, and remember, no one is too smart to be defrauded

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