We know finding a job is important and can be a stressful process, unfortunately scammers know this too and try to take advantage of job seekers. Nowadays many recruitment scams take the form of fraudulent job posts or even contracts, and they often pose as legitimate recruitment agencies to try to make their scam look more credible. Here are some tips to help make sure you can find your dream job without falling prey to scammers.

Tip 1 – Research and verify

If you are approached by a recruiter always double check to see if the company is legitimate AND that the recruiter is an official employee of the company. You should also verify that the email address or phone number being used is spelled correctly and belongs to the company/employee identified. The Undutchables team members are all listed on our “Our Team” page along with their official email address and phone numbers. If someone approaches you claiming to be us from a number, name, or email not in this list please block them and report it to us immediately. Please be aware, scams often use names or URLs that closely resemble the official website, and sometimes even use the logo of the company, so do a google search or contact the company to make sure that the person you are in contact with is the real deal.

Tip 2 – A legitimate company will not ask job seekers for money

Of course, in many scams you may be asked to provide private information or pay for services. Be aware, in the Netherlands it is illegal to ask for money from a candidate searching for a job. Therefore, no legitimate recruitment agency will request money for helping you find a job. Where this does get tricky is in sharing personal details. Real recruitment agencies may also need some personal details from you. For instance they may need to check your ID/work permit to determine your eligibility to work. They will discuss this with you specifically, and you can always review their process and privacy guarantee to find out more about how this works. If you feel uncomfortable, reach out to the agency on the phone, through video call or in person to discuss your concerns. Many scams will not have this option, so that is already a good test, but you can also ask to see credentials or request more information before providing private information. Please note, the recruitment agency will not need your social security information (BSN) or bank information until you have already accepted a job and they are drawing up the contract. By this point you should have already met the recruiter and been introduced to the company so you will be aware of the details and requirements for the contract. Never accept a contract that you have to pay for or that shows up out of the blue without any introductions or interviews.

Tip 3 – Watch for warning signs

A good way to detect a scam is to trust your gut. If it seems suspicious it probably is. Here are a few warning signs that can tip you off to a scam recruiter:

• Spelling and grammar mistakes, especially in email addresses or company URLs
• Vague messages without clear intentions
• Job offers that seem too good to be true (i.e. easy job with an unreasonably high salary, remote work with a vague job description, etc.)
• Positive responses to jobs you did not apply for

• Contracts offered without any applications or interviews
• Requests for money
• Asking you to provide personal details early in the process, especially without explanation or clear privacy guidelines,
• Weird links
• Job descriptions or links that are not listed on the official website

While these warning signs don’t guarantee that it is a scam, they do provide a good baseline for you to determine if anything is suspicious or not. Better safe than sorry.

To sum up

The most important thing is for you and your information to stay protected throughout your job search journey, so when in doubt don’t hesitate to contact the company to double check. A legitimate company, like Undutchables, will always be happy to provide you with the information you need to feel comfortable moving forward, and we are also grateful to be alerted when there is a scam using our name. Stay safe out there and happy job hunting!