Avoid Chat & Video Messaging Interview Scams

Advances in technology have made it possible to conduct job interviews through various channels. In the past, interviews were only conducted in person and over the phone. Today, interviews are conducted in different forms. As a result, it can be difficult to decipher legitimate interviews from those that should be avoided. Interviewing via chat and video messages is becoming an increasingly popular method, but not always for the right reasons.

What are chat scams?

Chat interview scams involve getting job seekers to divulge personal information via chat under the guise of being interviewed for a job with a company. Scammers posing as employers will contact the job seeker about interviewing for a role through technologies such as Google Hangout, Skype, FaceTime, Yahoo Messenger, Facebook Messenger, or even by text message. During the interview, the job seeker is asked to provide a credit card number, account PIN, Social Security number, or other sensitive information. Once the job seeker gives this information, the ’employer’ on the other end of the chat misuses it and any hope of a job offer vanishes.

Charles Appel of the Small Business Administration (SBA) chronicled the growing issue surrounding chat interviews for fake jobs in 2015 condition. In this article, Abell includes a transcript from a conversational interview that contains many typos and encourages the eager interviewer looking for work to provide bank details. This is just one example of how quickly a chat interview can go wrong.

How to ensure the legitimacy of the company

Doing research on a company before you interview is crucial. It ensures that you are prepared and well informed about both the role and the company. However, doing research is also important to confirm the legitimacy of the company. While doing your research, note the company name – is it fake? Is it registered with The best office work (BBB)? The BBB is dedicated to providing consistent and reliable information about reputable organizations. If the company in question is reputable, it will likely be registered on this website.

Confirming a company’s legitimacy may be just a click away. A Google search will yield useful results, including whether the company has contacted other job seekers, where they are located and how to contact company representatives. Does the name sound familiar from a movie or TV show you remember? Scammers are nothing short of creating fake companies (and company names) to carry out fraudulent transactions, so check the company name and standing before committing to an interview.

You can also check to verify the field of the interview email address and phone number against the existing website of the employer in question. Inquire about emails sent from personal accounts or inaccurate email addresses as well as calls from “1-800” numbers.

Legitimate companies want their employees to have some prior experience. Companies that include “no experience necessary” in their advertisement may not have a good reputation. If an employer contacts you about an interview for a job, but cannot clearly state the duties, requirements, and qualifications associated with the role, they may be misleading you.

Cheating chat interview and video messaging

Ultimately, it is important to remain open to new experiences in your job search because being more open can help you find opportunities that you would otherwise miss. However, it is also necessary to establish professional boundaries, protect your interests, and protect yourself from scams that can jeopardize your money, security, and peace of mind.

So… should you do a chat interview?

Only with Maximum to caution. Normally, most reputable employers will want to communicate with you outside of a chat conversation to determine whether or not you would be a good fit for the company. However, scammers use the anonymity that chat interviews provide. Chat is not the best channel for an interview as it may put you at risk of fraud, but it may also not give you the opportunity to present your skills and abilities to an employer for evaluation. You have a wealth of experience to draw from and should have the opportunity to share this with the employer to have the best possible chance of securing the job. If your employer objects, you should use caution and use your discretion.

Precautions to be taken

The job search can be difficult and time consuming. After all, you’ve applied to dozens of jobs and finally heard from an employer who wants to interview you via chat or video conferencing software. The thought of saying no can be difficult, but it may also be the safest decision. Protect yourself from job interview scams by doing extensive research. The more you know about the companies contacting you about an interview, the better prepared you will be to deal with any red flags head-on.

You can also suggest an alternative interview method. After you do your research, if you find that the opportunity seems legitimate, suggest that you and the employer do the interview via video or in person. You can tell the employer that you are interested in the opportunity but would appreciate the opportunity to showcase your skills and abilities in person.

Ask questions! Some people are hesitant to ask questions before an interview for fear that the employer will get upset and change their mind about the interview. However, a reputable employer will get adequate answers to your questions and may even understand that your questions are evidence of your keen interest in the job. In contrast, if you are dealing with a scammer on the other end of the chat, questions will prevent them from coming after you. After all, scammers want to be able to obtain your personal information quickly and confidentially. Having to answer a lot of your questions will prevent them from doing so, which leads to them moving on.

In the end, job hunting is hard enough without having to worry about getting scammed in a chat interview. Fortunately, with the information in this article as well as a wealth of online resources, you can defend yourself against scammers.

At ZipRecruiter, we take your protection seriously and are constantly working to improve job seekers safety. Part of this effort involves using proprietary post review software in an effort to deny access to anyone who fails to pass our offerings. But no system is perfect, which is why we share articles like this too Other posts with additional tips To avoid job fraud.

If you come across something that looks suspicious, please email our dedicated Trust & Safety team at trustandsafety@ziprecruiter.com So we can take a look and take appropriate action. Our Customer Service Representatives are available seven days a week to investigate and get rid of anything that doesn’t feel right.