A con, a ruse, a hustle or just plain old fraud. Whatever term people use there are all kinds of scams out there that criminals can benefit from. There are many tricks to get your money or valuable personal information.
Unfortunately, these forms of fraud have now moved on to targeting job seekers, especially newcomers who may not be aware of the laws and regulations in Canada, along with the proper legal process and procedures of obtaining employment.
We can help with some general suggestions and tips for you. To start, here are 10 suggestions and tips to help protect yourself from employment scams:
- DO NOT provide your Social Insurance Number (SIN #) when applying to a job online
- DO NOT provide banking information or major personal information when applying online (photo identification, credit card or account information, passwords, driver’s license details, home address and all phone numbers)
- DO NOT give a potential employer your passport or immigration paperwork to keep
- Be cautious if there is no interview at all, especially if they say they only need your online resume and do not need to meet with you in-person, or another one is they suggest an interview but only via text or instant messaging/chat
- Be suspicious if application emails or communications with the Human Resources (HR) or Hiring Manager are done through general accounts such as Yahoo, Hotmail or Gmail and not a company-based email
- Be mindful that you should never need to make a payment or deposit with a company to start work
- Be wary when a company promotes a job opening with a very big ‘hiring bonus’ or incentive to start
- Be suspicious when you are asked to deposit their cheque or money into your own personal bank account and then transfer it others
- DO NOT give access your bank accounts if they ask to ‘monitor’ your trustworthy behaviour during your probationary period. You are only required to give your banking deposit information to HR or accounting to deposit your paycheque digitally. (Note: there could be exceptions where this is necessary for example: banking, financing legalized gambling facilities and federal government jobs.)
- Be cautious when a ‘company’ or ‘HR representative’ has contacted you about the position even though you did not apply but says you are the perfect fit
I know it’s a lot to take in and to be cautious about. Remember: If it sounds too good to be true, then it is! Also, a general RED FLAG is if you are asked to exchange money or give private information before you are hired.
For more insights, please join our FREE Pathways to Work – Enhanced Language Training (ELT) Language and Job Search Assistance Program for Newcomers starting September 16, 2024, and an additional evening class start date of September 30, 2024. Our certified (OCELT) instructors and Newcomer Career Specialist will help you search, improve your confidence and be prepared for meaningful employment in Canada!