Recruitment Scam Awareness!

I’m hearing stories from candidates who are being approached by people claiming to be either Headhunters, Recruitment Consultants or Talent Acquisition.

After a brief exchange, usually on linked in or via an email address (often with the Recruiter’s email domain being a personal Gmail or Hotmail account rather than a professional company address 🚩), candidates are later realising that the ‘Recruitment Consultants’ are in-fact pretending to be someone they are not. In some cases, I believe that legitimate Recruitment Consultant profiles are being copied or spoofed.

The end goal is to get your financial information or receive money from you in some way and it’s important to be aware of this as scams are unfortunately becoming more commonplace.

A legitimate Recruitment Consultant will never require payment for their services.

I am hearing that these phony profiles approach candidates (typically those ‘open to work’) and open the conversation to discuss a ‘confidential’ opportunity. As far as I am aware, the so-called Headhunter never reveals the name of the business they are representing. They give a vague and often ‘too good to be true’ overview of what the opportunity looks like which, when you’re actively looking for a new role, is a clever way of getting your attention.

In one case, the fake Consultant is suggesting that your CV needs enhancement to improve your chances of ‘getting the job’ and they are then diverting you to pay for a service to tweak your CV or write your application in the ‘correct’ style. I have heard that the payment for such services ranges from £650 – £1400!!!

I’d like to be clear that often legitimate Recruitment Consultants will talk to you about sensitive roles or confidential requirements that need to be kept under your hat. In those instances, you are well within your right to push back, ask more questions and/or pause until the role is live. A decent Recruitment Consultant will understand and be able to give you the information you require. If you are met with aggression or pressure to act fast – walk away.

Legitimate Recruitment Consultants may also have ‘that dream job’ that is entirely real. It’s important that you put your career in the hands of someone you trust. Legitimate Recruitment Consultants should give you information about the business they are representing, be able to answer your questions about the job and give you a genuine overview of who is hiring/what the team are like and what the process will look like. If a Recruitment Consultant has taken the time to understand what you’re ideally looking for, they will be able to tell you why it’s a good fit.

A legitimate Recruitment Consultant may also suggest improvements or changes to your CV but this is in YOUR control. You amend your CV and discuss the information you wish to be presented to the client (which, to repeat, should be named to you during those conversations) with the Consultants guidance.

Scams are becoming increasingly sophisticated and so I have put together a list of red flags to be aware of, particularly if you’re being approached by a new person.

🚩 No credible LinkedIn presence a brand-new profile, limited history, very few connections or a CV that doesn’t match their claimed experience.

🚩 Generic email addresses particularly Gmail/Outlook/Hotmail addresses when they claim to represent an established recruitment firm.

🚩 Vague job details no clear job description, client, company information or explanation of why you’ve been approached.

🚩 Pressure to act quickly “this role needs filling today” or “send your documents immediately.”

🚩 Requests for money be that registration fees, payment to enhance or improve your CV, background checks or anything else. A legitimate Recruiter should not be asking you to pay to access a job.

🚩 Being pushed onto WhatsApp/alternative apps immediately without first establishing who they are and which company they represent.

🚩 Suspicious links or attachments asking you to log in, download software or provide personal information.

🚩 Promises that sound too good to be true exceptionally high salaries, guaranteed offers or “no interview required.”

Before sharing personal information, take five minutes to verify:

🔎 Does the recruitment company actually exist?
🔎 Does the person you’re talking to actually work there? (check the official website)
🔎 Does their email domain match the company? You can have a look on legitimate company’s ‘meet the team’ pages where their contact information will be visible.
🔎 Can you find the role on the company's or agency's legitimate website?
🔎 Can you independently contact the company using details from its official website?

🔎 If you’re unsure, you can also google the company they are claiming to work from and type ‘scam’ afterwards – it’ll likely pop up with warning messages.

I have done this myself following a recent call with a candidate who was approached as part of a scam and the results were alarming.

Most importantly:

Never let urgency override your common sense. Trust your gut.

If something feels wrong, pause. Verify. Ask questions. At Sacco Mann we are always happy to talk through any queries or concerns you may have. We have had calls this week from experienced and highly credible candidates who are being approached in this way. If you’re ever unsure, speak to someone you trust before handing over personal information.