Are you looking for a new job? Whether you want to change career paths or have been the victim of a layoff, Craigslist.org is a valuable research tool. This online classifieds website has thousands of job postings, many of which may be the perfect candidate for you. Unfortunately, with the Internet comes online employment scams. You can find some of these scams on Craigslist, but there are steps you can take to avoid them.
Learn what kinds of Craigslist job scams to look for. In terms of jobs, most scams focus on acquiring your personal information or getting money from you. This money often comes in the form of a “required” upfront fee. Always remember that you should be paid for working, not the other way around. If a background check or training material is required for employment, the employer should be responsible for all necessary fees, not you. As for your personal information, never give out your bank account information or social security number until after you’ve had a job interview and are hired.
Always use your best judgment. If you are looking for a local job, scams will be easy to spot. You are familiar with local businesses. If you are looking to relocate for a new job or looking to work from home, use your best judgment. An opportunity that sounds too good to be true probably is. Let’s say you worked as a secretary full time and earned $35,000 a year. Beware of job listings that claim you can work in the same position, perform the same tasks, but make $100,000 a year. Something doesn’t sound right and you may find yourself in the middle of a job scam later on. Before giving out personal information, always do your research.
Look up other cities on Craigslist to find the same job openings. Be careful with this approach. It’s nice to see a job listing for a full-time secretary in California appearing in San Francisco and Los Angeles. The company is likely to target all qualified California residents. However, beware of the same job listing if you appear in St. Louis. Unless the listing specifically states that the job requires relocation, you may be looking at a job scam. Searching for multiple cities usually involves visiting each city’s site and running different searches each time; however, you can download the free Craigslist Reader to search multiple cities at once.
Job scams are popping up all over the internet. They are even on the popular Craigslist.org website. Fortunately, you can follow the steps above to avoid these scams and find a legitimate, high-paying job.
