Internet criminals are skilled at romance and investment scams, but they have also found a wide variety of other profitable fields. As the world economy struggles to recover from the pandemic, the effects of the hiking crude oil prices, container crisis, Ukraine war, etc. many criminals are also discovering that employment frauds may be quite lucrative. As more people throughout the world look for remote jobs online, scammers are more active in promoting fake offers to defraud victims. Our private investigators at Wymoo International describe some warning signs and tips below to help you avoid being a victim.

Be wary of early requests for personal information

Be wary of job offers that demand your ID, passport copy, social security number, or other personal information too early in the process. A genuine company won’t request this information until the employment process is advanced and they are prepared to make an offer. Companies might need an ID to verify your identity and will probably conduct an employment screening before hiring you, but they would request for your permission to do so and this will not happen until they know you’ve been selected.

Take a close look into the company’s reputation and operations

Look into the company’s reputation before agreeing on sending any personal data. It pays to be wary and to do your homework, especially when you find an extraordinary career opportunity that you believe is worth trying but sounds too good to be true. An internet search might not be enough, so try contacting the company by phone, look for information available in newspapers, social networks, magazines, blogs, employment review sites, etc. This will help you build an idea of the company and people you might be working with. To dig deeper and truly verify, you can always hire a company background check or due diligence to verify business registration, known representatives and public records.

Ask many questions, and never accept sending payments

Ask a lot of questions about the company, their operations, and how they manage remote work. Criminals frequently try to persuade victims to pay for application processing fees or similar expenses, and usually describe these as mandatory in order for the candidate to get the job. It might sound kind of absurd to pay a fee to get a job, but many people agree because they really need the work. Never provide payments or your bank information until you have received a firm offer and have verified the legitimacy of the employer.

If your budget allows it, hire a professional investigator

If the job offer seems like a great opportunity, and you are really interested in making sure everything is on the up and up, hire a professional investigator to confirm. This applies to business and investment opportunities as well. Local investigators on the ground who have access to records in the country, speak the same language, have contacts with government agencies, and can visit physical offices and facilities are best suited to conduct international background checks and due diligence investigations.

C. Wright

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