Recruitment scams: how to protect yourself while job hunting

Scammers use job adverts because people share personal information and are eager to respond. A few habits will protect you.

Common scam patterns

You are offered a job without an interview, often by text or messaging apps. You are asked to pay for training, equipment, a background check or a visa. The salary is unusually high for little work. The recruiter uses a free email address instead of a company domain.

Never pay to get a job

Legitimate employers and recruitment agencies do not charge candidates for finding work. If someone asks for a fee for a "guaranteed" role, stop.

Check the company

Look up the company on Companies House, find its official website independently, and call the main number listed there. Check that the recruiter's name appears on the company's official pages or professional profiles.

Guard your documents

Do not send passport scans, bank details or national insurance numbers before a genuine offer. When you do, check how they will be stored and who will see them.

Be careful with cheques and equipment

A common trick sends you a cheque to buy equipment and asks you to return the "excess". The cheque later bounces and you lose the money.

Task and crypto schemes

Be wary of roles that involve liking videos, completing "tasks" or moving money, especially if you must deposit your own funds first.

What to do if you are caught

Stop contact, tell your bank at once if you shared financial details, and change any passwords you reused. Report fraud to Action Fraud (in Scotland, Police Scotland) and report fake adverts to the job board where you found them.

A quick checklist

Is there an interview? Is the domain official? Is anyone asking for money? Can I verify the company independently? If an answer worries you, walk away.