![By Zeerak Haider, PhD TripleTen Career Coach

September 2023](https://prod-files-secure.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/662b586e-86b7-4f44-9740-1dc06c7a67a4/596e56e8-f8c3-404b-95a8-3e74404630f6/Zeerak_coach.png)

By Zeerak Haider, PhD TripleTen Career Coach

September 2023

Recently, there has been a rise in scams related to fake remote companies posing as real ones, and “recruiters” reaching out to candidates to interview them and offer them positions at their “companies.” As demand for remote positions continues to increase, many scammers have taken notice of this trend and are using it to their advantage. Luckily, there are several steps you can take to protect yourself while applying and interviewing for jobs.

Remember, the ultimate goal of these savvy scammers is to steal your financial information and even your identity. The simplest and most impactful thing you can do to protect yourself is to ask yourself this one question:

Is This a Legitimate Company?

It is important to do your due diligence when researching a company. Make sure the company has an online presence, including a fully functioning website without any punctuation errors, an actual mission and purpose, a real structure, and a careers page. You can also see if the job posting you’re applying for is present on the actual website of the company.

Then, check the company’s LinkedIn page. LinkedIn recently released a feature to help you see the age of a profile and when it was last updated. Use this feature to assess the company’s page, and verify that the recruiter who reached out to you actually works there. If a recruiter contacts you with a personal email account (Yahoo or Gmail), this is a major red flag, since professional companies almost always have professional email accounts.

By verifying these simple features, you can be confident that you’re not investing time and resources into a scam. And, of course, no matter what happens, DO not provide your social security number or license information to a recruiter over the phone early on in the process.

<aside> ❗ Below are some additional tips and resources to ensure that you are applying to a legitimate company:

1. Check that the company has a verifiable phone number and email.
2. Conduct a quick Google search with the name of the company and the word “SCAM.”
3. Create a separate email account for your job search.
4. Create a separate bank account for getting paid to protect yourself and your funds.
5. Never pay a company money when applying for a position!
6. Use the Virtual Vocations Company database, which contains information on over 25,000 organizations that are remote-friendly.
7. Check out this article on how to identify fake websites.
8. You can order three free credit reports each year to make sure that no credit cards have been opened in your name. </aside>

Despite your best efforts to verify a company, know that many scammers are very sophisticated and fully intent on duping you into believing they are a legitimate company. If you are offered an interview with a company, and you’re not sure it’s legitimate, be sure to ask yourself this question:

What Does the Interview Process Look Like?

Many companies are now shifting to video interviews instead of phone interviews in order to see the applicants and how they answer questions. This is a good sign and one that you should look for when applying for jobs. Any company that conducts their entire interview process over email is a major red flag!

The initial call with a recruiter typically takes a few minutes, during which the recruiter may request a small write-up from you, where you state how your experiences align with the job. A recruiter should never ask for your personal information, such as your social security or bank account information. When speaking with a recruiter, inquire about the interview process and timeline. Many (if not all) companies will conduct their interviews over video call, and the HR manager will show their face. Be cautious of “face-to-face” interviews where you cannot see the HR manager!

<aside> 📌 Interviewing with a company that poses itself as legitimate can place you in a vulnerable position, as you’ll likely be excited about the opportunity and the potential of a job offer. Nevertheless, stay vigilant, and if you have any doubts, do the following after your interview:

1. When offered the job, call the number on the company’s website to confirm that the position is real.
2. Re-read the job offer and the pay being offered. If the job description is generic and doesn’t require a specific skill set for your field, be cautious. Any job that offers to pay more than the average salary range for your field should be met with suspicion.
3. Many companies will ask for references and check with them prior to offering you the job. This is a good sign. Contact your references to double-check whether the company reached out to them.
4. Carefully review the job offer and letterhead. Check for typos and grammatical errors, and double-verify that they are indeed a real company.
5. Do NOT directly purchase any supplies with your personal funds. Many companies will physically mail you all the supplies you need and not require you to use your personal funds to pay for laptops or other items. </aside>

We know that the job application process requires a perseverant mindset, and we want you to be safe and vigilant when presented with potential opportunities. While you are applying and completing your application funnel/tracker, we suggest creating a column that allows you to track whether you’ve “verified” the companies before applying to them.

If you really feel that something isn’t right with a certain company or job offer, feel free to contact the career team. Remember, if you or any of your peers experience a scam, call your bank account immediately and contact TripleTen, and then be sure to report the scam here.