Don’t Get Scammed By Fake Straight North Recruiters: See The Job Scam Tactics
Have you received a job offer text from Lena Sullivan or Alice a job promoter for Straight North? Beware! Scammers are posing as recruitment agents at Straight North. They send job seekers text messages about a job opening, then proceed to scam them after gaining their trust.
This article provides information on how the job scam works, warning signs to look out for, and what to do if you’re a victim of this scam.
Why The Straight North Recruitment Text Isn’t Legit
First and foremost, Straight North (a digital marketing firm) does not send unsolicited recruitment job texts without receiving an application letter from the job seeker. Secondly, they don’t contact potential employees via WhatsApp or social media.
If you’ve received this text from the company without you applying, there’s a 99% chance that it’s a scam.
Straight North Recruitment Scam Tactics
Starts with an Unsolicited Job Offer Text
The scam starts with a fake job offer text from a fraudster posing as a job promoter at Straight North. The scammer often use the words;
Hello. CareerBuilder is recommending a part-time job for €20-300 a day! My name is Lena Sullivan, and I’m a job promoter for Straight North. You only need to work 30-60 minutes a day for €800 for 5 days, €3,000 for 15 days and €6,000 for 30 days. The hours are up to you. If you are interested, answer “Yes” or “interested
Unclear Job Details
Victims are told they only need to work for 30-60 minutes for 5 days. There’s no tangible information on what the job entails or what kind of job it really is. Legitimate recruiters are always transparent about job details from the onset. That’s the very first thing mentioned.
Lures Victims To Fake Training Websites
After they’ve succeeded in gaining their victim’s attention with the mouth watering job offer, the scammers direct them to a malicious website for virtual onboarding before being officially hired. They claim it is an orientation when it’s actually a platform to enable them scam victims.
Hooks Victims With Paid Training Tasks
The scammers instruct their victims to complete some tasks required in the training. Interestingly, the tasks are paid, and each training module earns a small sum like 10-50 cents. However, this is just a bait to make people think they’ll earn high salary and make them want to pursue the job.
Some of the tasks included are;
- Watching videos
- Clicking links and ads
- Submitting emails
- Downloading apps
- Making purchases
Requests for Security Upgrade Fees
This is where the scam comes in. The “security upgrades” fee is said to unlock higher value training critical for the job. These upgrades begin at $25 but quickly escalate to hundreds of dollars. The scammers use false promises, psychological tactics, and social engineering to manipulate victims into making the payment.
Absconds With Victims Money and Personal Information
After collecting payments from the victims, the scammers disappear into thin air, leaving their victims frustrated, as there’s no job or salary on its way.
5 Warning Signs of Employment Scams You Should Be Wary of
1. If You’re Asked To Pay Money
Legitimate employers and hiring managers don’t require an application fee or expect you to pay for training. Sometimes this fee can be labelled ‘equipment fee’ for training. Whatever name it is, don’t fall for it.
2. Upfront Requests for Sensitive Information
Sensitive information (like your social security number, date of birth, or bank account information) isn’t a part of early recruitment process. Eventually, your employer will need this information for taxes and benefits enrollment, but only after you have a written job offer and sometimes not until your first day on the job.
3. Impersonates a Recruitment Company
In order to gain your trust, the scammers often use the name and brand of known recruitment companies. The first thing you should do is to search for the company’s official email address online and contact them in regards to the job. That way, you can verify if it is scam or legit.
4. Only Uses Texts and Online Chats
As technology evolves, so do scams, and some recruitment scams have migrated to texts or online chats especially via WhatsApp. Most legitimate companies don’t reach out to recruit via text unless you already applied on the company’s site and opted to receive text messages.
5. If It Seems Too Good To Be True
It feels great that a company is fast-tracking you, contacting you within an hour of applying, and doesn’t require an interview or checking references. But as the saying goes, if it seems too good to be true, it probably is.
What To Do If You Received Straight North Recruitment Scam Text
Do Not Provide Your Sensitive Information
No matter how legit a prospective job offer looks, do not provide sensitive information like your DATE & YEAR of birth, Social security number, or bank account information.
Do Not Click on Any Link Contained in The Text
If the text or email contains a link, do not click on it as it could be malicious. Often times, hackers pose as job recruiters to gain access to their victim’s data. Clicking on the link might install a malware on your device that’d easily steal sensitive and confidential data.
Report The Scam and Create Awareness
The final step you should take is to report the Recruitment scam to law enforcement agencies in order to stop the scam and create awareness. You can do to the FTC via ReportFraud.ftc.gov or Internet Crime Complaint Center.
Conclusion
Like The Staffworks Recruitment Scam,Straight North Recruitment scam uses high pay to trick job seekers into paying an advance fee for ‘equipment’ and revealing their personal information. Don’t be a victim!
When approached by a job recruiter either online or offline, the first thing to do is research the company and the job opportunity. Find the company on the internet and review their online presence, including their social media. Enter the company’s name and the word “scam” on search engine to see if the business is legitimate.
