how to avoid and report job scams.

A job is likely a scam if you’ve been asked to transfer money for a screening, application, interview, or as an advance on equipment. Here’s a couple examples of what this can look like:

• Hi job seeker! There's a great opportunity for you in the Industrio-Matic Solutions warehousing and shipping division, but they require you to wear steel-toed boots. We'll wire you $200 to buy your own pair, so we'll need to get your bank account number, routing number and the name on the account. This opportunity will disappear fast, so don't wait! Send me your info today.

• Hi job seeker! There's an open role at ZeroOneZero Technologies that's perfect for you. We can hold the role until we get an interview on the books, but we'll need to collect a $50 deposit from you in order to keep it open. We can only reserve your spot for 24 hours, so send us the full amount right away!

Important reminders:

• Randstad Recruiters will never ask for money, personal information (personal ID or SIN numbers) or banking details via text or email.
• Randstad will never request your credit or debit card information, or require that you make any payment to us or our clients in connection with your job search.
• Randstad would never request a payment related to any training offered.
• Randstad will never charge candidates any recruitment fees or ask for banking information during the recruitment process. When you’re placed with a client company, we securely collect your personal and direct-deposit information for payroll purposes.

Watch out for job offers sent from a personal email or a “noreply” email. All offers from Randstad will come from an email with one of the following after the @ symbol: 

• Randstad.CA
• RandstadUSA.com
• Tatum-us.com
• RandstadRisesmart.com
• Spherion.com
• RandstadSourceright.com

Sometimes scammers will create a realistic-looking email address such as RandstadCA@gmail.com or RandstadJobs@hotmail.com, so be extra careful and double check the full address. Even if the address looks correct, it could be a “spoof” that looks as though it came from a real Randstad email. The best way to learn if it’s legitimate is to hit “reply” and examine the address that pops up. Then look for one of the official domain names listed above.

If the job pays significantly more than the industry average, offers premium benefits, guarantees employment, or other perks that seem impossible, there is probably a reason why.

If you receive a text message from an unknown number, or a message on another platform like WhatsApp, this is likely a scam. Never share your personal information, like your phone number or real name via messaging apps.

Randstad will never ask for personal information, work history, photo ID, or payment methods on messaging platforms like WhatsApp. Anyone asking you to share this info via phone, text or email isn't from Randstad — and they probably aren't going to connect you with a job, either.

The most obvious sign of a fake job offer is receiving one you did not even apply for. When a recruitment agency or an employer sends you a job offer without any other form of prior communication with you, it is highly likely to be a scam.

Be cautious of recruiters if they cannot provide you with the details of their recruiting agency, like their full name, the company they work for, a website, official social media accounts, or an official email address. It is also a red flag if the job description is unclear, short, or full of typos and grammar mistakes.

Many job scams are posted on social platforms like Facebook groups. If you cannot verify the posting with Randstad, it is likely a scam.