Job advertisement scams
Learn how to spot fraudulent job listings and stay safe while job hunting. Find out what fake job ads for Trade Me look like.
Recruitment and job scams are on the rise and even targeting Trade Me. Find out how to stay safe from fraudulent job listings.
How job advertisement scams work
- A scammer posts a fake job ad pretending to be a real company. The ad looks great!
- A job seeker sees the ad. It offers flexible hours and good pay, so they apply.
- The scammer contacts the applicant, asking for additional personal information or money for a fake background check or job equipment.
Example of a fake job advertisement
We're aware of fake job advertisements for roles at Trade Me circulating on Facebook and Instagram. These job ads are not real roles at Trade Me. If you see an ad like the one below, do not click on the links or contact the poster.
Check if a job at Trade Me is real by looking for it on our careers page.
Find an example of the scam job advertisement below:
Warning signs of a job scam
Fake job ads can look very convincing. The best way to protect yourself is to know what to watch out for.
An unprofessional advertisement
Real companies put their best foot forward when hiring. If a job ad is full of mistakes or missing information, it's probably a scam. Look for these red flags:
- Low-quality images or graphics.
- Poor spelling and grammar.
- A vague job description.
- Fake website addresses (e.g., trade-me.co.nz or trademe-co.nz instead of trademe.co.nz).
Suspicious wage or salary information
Scammers often offer high pay for easy work to trick people. Watch out for these signs:
- The pay is in a currency other than New Zealand dollars (New Zealand jobs always use NZ dollars).
- The pay is formatted incorrectly (e.g., the dollar sign should be before the number, use commas for thousands, and a period for cents: $12,345.67).
- The pay is much higher than similar jobs.
- The ad mentions "potential earnings" or how much you could make daily.
- The salary is shown monthly. In New Zealand, it's usually per hour or yearly before taxes.
Asking for payment or personal information
Recruiters need your contact info and resume. They might ask for a CV and cover letter. They shouldn't ask for anything else at the application stage. A job ad might be a scam if it asks you to:
- Buy equipment for the job. Employers should provide the tools.
- Pay for a background check or credit check. This is the recruiter's expense, not yours.
- Give your personal details (home address, driver's license, passport, tax ID number, or bank account). A company will only ask for this after offering you the job and you've signed a contract.
If you need a visa to work in Aotearoa, never give your passport or visa to the employer before you’ve signed a job contract.
Direct contact about the job
Most companies post jobs on sites like Trade Me, Seek, or LinkedIn. If someone contacts you directly, be cautious.
- Check if the email address looks real. It should end with the company's website address (e.g., joe@trademe.co.nz, not joetrademe@xtra.co.nz).
- Check the company's social media page to verify it's real.
- If they contact you through text or WhatsApp, be extra careful. Legitimate recruiters rarely contact applicants this way. Before responding, look for the job posting on the company's website.
A scammer posing as a Trade Me recruiter recently sent out a phishing text message. Learn more about the job offer scam message.
Stay safe from job scams
- Don't click links in job ads.
- Check the Companies Register to make sure the company is legitimate.
- Visit the company's website and check their careers page. If they don't have a website, that's a big red flag.
- Check their social media presence. A limited or missing online presence could indicate a scam.
- Ask a friend or family member for a second opinion.
If you find a listing that looks like a scam, report it through Community Watch.