Employment Scams - Protect Yourself - The Headhunters (2024)

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Employment Scams - Protect Yourself - The Headhunters (2)

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As many job seekers have noticed, employment scams (or job scams) have become more common in recent years. In 2022, the Edmonton Police Service alone received 148 reports of employment scams with a total financial loss of $359,831.

These scammers typically use legitimate job boards (Indeed, LinkedIn, etc.) to post fake jobs or to contact job seekers, and use the hiring process as an opportunity to maliciously obtain personal information and/or money. Job boards and social media sites are aware of these scams and work to identify and remove fraudulent postings, however new ones appear all the time, so it is important to be vigilant.

If you have received a message on an app such as WhatsApp or Telegram from someone claiming to work for The Headhunters, it is likely a scam. If you receive a message on LinkedIn, it may be from one of our team members, but we will never ask for payment or sensitive information. If you are uncertain, please feel free to contact us to confirm.

How to Recognize Employment Scams

Here are some flags that could indicate that a job offer is potentially a scam:

  • The offer sounds too good to be true (for example, the salary is significantly higher than comparable jobs)
  • You receive an outright offer for a job that you haven’t applied or interviewed for
  • They request unnecessary personal details or financial information upfront
  • They ask for some form of payment in order to get the job
  • The job posting is not posted on the real company’s website (if you are suspicious about a job posting, you can always call the real company directly to check if the post is legitimate)
  • They call you frequently and aggressively, attempting to pressure you to make a decision
  • The messages you receive aren’t coming from a company email account (i.e. they are sending from a free email domain like Gmail or Hotmail, or an app such as WhatsApp or Telegram)
  • The messages they send have frequent spelling/grammar mistakes or the contact information is inconsistent
  • There is no interview at all, or the interview is conducted through an app such as WhatsApp or Telegram
  • You are asked to purchase equipment and be reimbursed later, or you are asked to deposit money into your personal bank account and transfer it to someone

How to Avoid Employment Scams

In this article about job scams, Indeed has 5 suggestions to help avoid employment scams:

  1. Do your research
  2. Verify the website’s security
  3. Trust your instincts
  4. Do not give personal account information
  5. Look online for complaints or reviews

What to Do If You’re the Victim of a Scam

Remember, it’s possible for anyone to be a victim of an employment scam—these scammers and fake job postings can be very convincing. If you are a victim, you should not feel ashamed, and it is important to speak to the appropriate resources and authorities.

For Canadians who are a victim of job scams:

  1. Contact your bank / financial institution
  2. Report it to your local police
  3. Report it to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre (CAFC)you can report scammers here even if you did not actually lose any money; it helps law enforcement investigate cybercrime
  4. Optional: Let the real company know that a scammer is impersonating them – that way they may be able to take additional action and help protect other candidates who may become victims

Learn More

The following links provide more details about different employment scams you may encounter, how to recognize them and what to do if you or someone you know are a victim:

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The relationship my recruiter and I have built over time has led to a smooth recruitment, and an excellent addition to our team. By taking the time to get to know about our business, the culture we are building and the exact skill-set of the individual we were seeking, my recruiter was able to target the ideal candidate and encourage him to consider a change. We are very pleased.

Allison Ford and The Headhunters have successfully conducted two searches for my division. Both management positions had unique skill sets that were in short supply in the market. The Headhunters left no stone unturned in looking for the best possible candidates and provided objective and incisive advice throughout the search process.[They] provided stellar service, valuable insight into prospects throughout the recruitment process, and high-quality candidates which led to successful hires. I was impressed and would definitely work with them again.

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The Headhunters group has multiple offices in Canada and caters to a wide range of positions- office, professionals, manufacturing, functional experts, etc. I have had the opportunity to work very closely with them during my tenure as the HR Director at Roquette. The recruiters are sharp, on the ball and very efficient in getting talent in a tight labour market- whether it was the ‘hard to fill’ positions or the common ones, I always had a range of good candidates from across Canada to interview and select. Their psychometric tests helped me understand the personality of the candidates and assess possible fit. The firm was instrumental in filling 20plus roles. I knew I could trust them in finding the right people with the skill set that I was looking for. I would highly recommend them for your staffing needs.

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How refreshing it was to see quality versus quantity. [The Headhunters] always seem to hit the mark and understand what we are looking for.

The Headhunters’ internal process is amazing. I cannot believe how quick information seems to get to you and you act on it. That alone really makes a customer feel like they matter and what they want is important. Overall this has been a no-stress experience for me and did not consume a great deal of my time; and really that is the bottom line here. Time and no aggravation is what I bought from The Headhunters and they delivered.

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I utilized Barry Milne to find me a candidate in Winnipeg and he did an outstanding job. Three of [the candidates presented] were absolute slam dunks. But the one we hired was the best person I could have asked for. Probably the top candidate in the Winnipeg market. I really credit Barry’s ability to connect with [the candidate] as the reason we were able to secure a top performer.

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