The recruitment industry has seen a rise in recruitment fraud as scammers have become highly intelligent in impersonating recruitment businesses and are resorting to more sophisticated and less detectable methods.
One way of checking whether a recruiter is legitimate is to see if they are a member of the Recruitment & Employment Confederation. As the largest industry body our members comply with strict laws and sign up to our code of conduct that goes above and beyond the minimum legal requirements.
A reputable recruiter will not ask you for:
- Payment for finding you a job
- Your bank details up front – your employer will do that once you have signed a job contract and so they can pay your salary.
- Your National Insurance Number or other personal details that could help identify you before you register with them for job finding services.
- A scammer won’t provide you with information about how they operate but a recruiter will be clear about the way they will work with you.
Always make sure that someone approaching you with a potential work opportunity is a legitimate recruiter, and not seeking to scam you for money or personal information. Below are some additional dos and don’t’s.
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Double check that the advert you have found is current and listed on the website of the recruitment business it purports to be from. If in doubt, contact the relevant recruitment business directly to verify this. |
Give your personal details out, legitimate recruiters would never ask applicants to provide them with bank details via WhatsApp, or text message or phone call |
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Double check if the link provided for the job advert is from a legitimate website |
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Check for poor spelling and grammar these are usually telltale signs. |
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Check that the name of the recruitment business and any details provided are correct by cross checking this on Companies House. |
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If you think you have been the victim of a scam you should do the following:
- If the recruitment business purports to be a member of a trade body, confirm this with the relevant body. For example, Job seekers can see a full list of REC members on www.rec.uk.com/jobseekers/member-directory
- Contact your bank immediately if you have given your bank details to a scammer
- Report details of the scam to Action Fraud [0300 123 2040] and Jobs Aware.