How to Avoid Scams When Job Hunting Online

You’re looking through the job listings on Monster. And something sounds too good to be true. Unfortunately, it probably is. Here are some tips for avoiding getting scammed when looking for a job online.

If a job listing sounds too good to be true, it probably is. These types of ads are abundant on most job search sites. Attractive females posing at computers, suggesting you join their team and earn thousands of dollars every week by working from home. Does that seem like a professional way of getting employees? I think not.
Do not give out any personal data over email or phone. Don’t scan your driver’s license and send it to any “interested employers”. Don’t send your Social Security Number, bank account information, license plate number, credit card numbers, date of birth, etc.
Be careful what personal info you give out on your online resume. Consider listing only your name, the city you live in and your business email. This email should be one you’ve made just for this occasion. Do not give out your personal email and definitely not your work email. If they want more info from you, they can contact you and ask for an interview.
Sketchy websites don’t always look sketchy- at first. Look at the company website. OK, it looks professional... Now, look at the website’s address. This short quiz (http://www.job-hunt.org/onlinejobsearchguide/article_scam-proof.shtml) gives some helpful tips on how to spot a fake website.
Yes, even email offers lie too. If your potential “new boss” has an email that ends with @hotmail.com or @yahoo.com (instead of @CompanyName.com), do your homework. What links do they have in their signature? Google their email address (with quotation marks around it) and see where else there email address can be found.
Research any company that contacts you with an offer, especially if you’ve never heard of them or if it’s a new company. Check out their website- is it covered in ads? That likely means the company isn’t making enough money and has to sell ads on their site to make some extra cash. Check if the site is listed at the Better Business Bureau (http://www.bbb.org/). Ask people in the industry if they know anything about the company.
Avoid ads that request you pay for something first. “You will make lots of money- but first we ask that you make a small investment.” Unless it’s with a well-known company like Avon or Mary Kay, move onto the next listing.