How to Spot Job Scams: 10 Warning Signs to Look for in Interviews

In the digital and virtual world that we live in today, job searching can sometimes feel like you’re putting trust out there and hoping for the best. Receiving that message from a recruiter to set up an interview can be exciting and nerve-wracking at the same time. With job scams on the rise, companies and candidates across the globe are being targeted with fake interviews and job offers, making the job search process even trickier. Job seekers can sometimes fall into the trap of those individuals with ill intent.   

There are some ways to spot those job scams, however, when you know what to look for. We asked our recruiting team to provide some insights on what could be possible red flags.

10 Red Flags That Your Interview Is Fake

1. The recruiter is using an email address that doesn’t align with the company. Recruiters will typically reach out to you with their work email address. If the email address ends with Gmail, Yahoo, or something else, consider it fishy. If the email address contains the company name, check the spelling and make sure it matches their website address. For example, at Procore, our email addresses end in @procore.com, and our recruiters will always use their Procore email. 
2. The interview is being offered as a text-based or instant message interview. Most organizations will conduct interviews by phone, video, or in person. If you are asked for a text-based interview, and everything else seems legit, reach out to a recruiter from the company on LinkedIn and confirm they conduct interviews in this format. 
3. The recruiter is only engaging with you through social media. Recruiters may reach out via social channels, such as LinkedIn, and potentially others. That part is ok. It’s when the recruiter won’t provide you with company-based contact details or accept a request for a phone call that it becomes concerning. If you are engaged on a social channel, ask the recruiter for their work details so you can follow up with them there.
4. The recruiter's correspondence with you is unprofessional. While it’s true that not everyone has perfect grammar and spelling, the written communication coming to you from a recruiter should be pretty good. If messages are full of errors, are formatted oddly and contain inaccurate details, there is a possibility that the recruiter is not who they say they are.
5. The interviewer is incredibly agreeable, and you are quickly presented with a too-good-to-be-true offer. Scammers want to gain your trust as fast as they can. Do your research to see what you can find out about a company’s interview process before you agree to an interview. Employer review sites like Glassdoor often have information from people who have been through interviews. Some company career sites will provide insights into their process, such as our post on sales development rep interviews.
6. You are asked for confidential information. If you are asked for confidential information during your interview, be cautious about providing it. This includes information such as your national identification number, driver’s license, banking and credit card details. This information is typically not needed until after a job offer has been accepted.
7. Your interviewer is not able to answer specific questions. Both a recruiter and interviewer should be able to provide specific answers to your questions about the company and the role. If they provide vague answers or try to redirect you, rephrase your questions to see if they can then give specific information. This brush-off may be a sign that they are not, in fact, legitimate employees of the company and don’t know the answers.
8. You are asked to pay for computer equipment, phones and software. If the role you are interviewing for is a remote position, most companies will provide you with the equipment you need to set up a proper working space at home. In some cases, you might be requested to use your personal devices. However, if you are asked to provide payment for equipment, reach out to the company to confirm this is required. 
9. You are asked for an application or job training fee. Just like electronic equipment, you typically would not be asked to pay to apply for a job or a training fee. Any request for payment–especially if they ask for electronic money transfers–should be a red flag. Contact the company you are interviewing for to confirm any requests around payments. 
10. The interviewer is in a rush to hire you. Job scammers want to move fast before they are found out, and some are more savvy than others. If you are being rushed through the process, ask to slow down so you can do your due diligence to ensure the company and the offer are legit.

If you suspect that you have been contacted by a job scammer, do your best to ignore them. If you have started the interview process and start to see any of these red flags, ask for a time out in the process and do your best to find a legitimate contact at the company you are interviewing with. 

Melissa Heidmiller
Sr. Talent Marketing Manager