Fraudsters take advantage of job seekers’ vulnerability by asking for private details or even payment in exchange for a job in Canada. You will not be the first individual if you have fallen prey to fraud.
Since the outbreak, fraud cases have been on the upswing. According to Canada’s Anti-Fraud Centre (CAFC), there were more than 68,000 fraud complaints filed in 2021. And that does not include December. The losses totalled $231 million, which is almost twice what was lost in 2020.
Your way to defend yourself from fraud is knowledge. Aside from the CAFC website, the Better Business Bureau (BBB) maintains a scam tracking system that tracks alleged fraud instances. We’ve prepared a list of suggestions for preventing fraudulent job offers, as well as a few more to assist you in uncovering the real stuff.
How to avoid job offer frauds
A solid basic rule is that if a job offer seems too good to be true, it probably is.
Below mentioned are some hints that will help you identify such fraudsters:
- It’s simply not credible if you didn’t apply for it. Fake potential jobs are frequently received in an unexpected manner. They’re from firms to which you didn’t apply and for jobs to which you didn’t apply.
- They may pay well and have broad qualifications, making it appear that anybody may be a suitable fit (over age 18, no experience required, etc.) They’re made to appeal to your feelings, to make you believe your job hunt is done and you’ve discovered a reliable source of income.
- The user’s email address may or may not be fishy. While legitimate business owners may use free email services such as Gmail, it is more probable that their email addresses will include their personal web addresses. Keep in mind, though, that scammers can use current company emails to impersonate recruiters. If you feel you’ve gotten a bogus job opportunity from a legitimate organization, don’t respond to the email; instead, contact somebody else within the company to discover if they attempted to reach you. If the sender’s email contains no contact details, this could be a red sign.
- In order to have the job offer, the fraudulent recruiter may require you to pay something. They might give you credit to buy supplies with, but it turns out to be a forgery, and you’re stuck paying for everything you bought. You should not be required to pay for a genuine employment offer, nor should you be required to engage in any transactional activities.
- They request personal data such as the Social Insurance Number (SIN). You must never give away your SIN unless it is legally required. Companies only require your SIN after your recruitment.
Finally, before you commit to something, conduct a tiny bit of research. Do not open on any websites, respond to any communications, or install anything until you are certain you are speaking with a genuine recruiter. If you are, you should have been anticipating their communication. Perform a background investigation on the person and the organization they represent. Check to see if typing the company’s name and the word “scam” yields any results.
You can file a bogus job offer to the CAFC and the BBB if you feel you’ve received one.
How to find a genuine offer
When you get a valid job offer, it will be from a company that you have applied to or have been introduced to by one of your networks.
According to LinkedIn, over 80% of the jobs on the platform are recommended by networks/connections. So if you have anyone in your group who works in maple country, you can ask them to help you with the leads.
If you are staying in the country, you can look for opportunities from the local municipality or provincial authorities. If you are a student, so the institution you are enrolled with will help you in your search. If you are applying online, send your application to the company directly.
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) assists newcomers in settling and getting a job as well. The services can be availed irrespective of your geographical location. The government has also built a platform termed a Job bank that helps employers find local as well as international workers.
Atlantic Immigration Program (AIP) and the Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot (RNIP) are some of the streams that can assist you in finding a suitable employer as well as a job.
Even if you are able to find a good opportunity, the selection could be a tedious process if you are not well versed with the requirements. Always have your cover letter and resume (as per Canadian requirement) ready while applying. Go through the job description/requirements. Also, prepare your biodata according to the needs of the firm. Explain to the recruiter how you will be a good asset to the firm. Doing small research about the company as well will give you an extra edge in the interview, as well as help you decide if you see your future at the company or not.
Finally, even when you think you are not qualified for the job, apply. Irrespective of what they have mentioned on the platform, sometimes they end up getting a resource that does not meet the requirement; however, there could be another reason for it. So try everywhere you think you will be able to do the job.
