At Sortlist, we've recently become aware of a troubling trend in the online world—a rise in scammers impersonating our company, as well as other organizations. These scammer use our name to lie to people and steal their private info or money.
We want to warn everyone about this and tell you how to stay safe from these WhatsApp job ad scams.
The alarming trend: WhatsApp job ad scams
Sortlist, along with other good companies, has been tricked by scammers who pretend to be us on WhatsApp and other messaging apps. These scammers use our name and logo to make their messages seem real. They want to get your private info or money by pretending to offer jobs.
How the scam works
The scammers start talking to you on WhatsApp, acting like they work for Sortlist. They offer jobs with good pay and benefits to make you excited.
Once they gain your trust, they might ask for your private info like your Social Security number, bank details, or passport number, saying they need it for your job.
Sometimes, they might ask for money upfront, saying it's for getting the job. Sadly, people who fall for this lose their money, and the scammers disappear.
How to keep safe
To protect yourself from WhatsApp job ad scams or similar tricks, follow these steps:
Check the contact: Before you believe any job offer from WhatsApp, make sure it's from a real company. Look at their official website, contact details, and social media profiles to be sure it's who they say they are. At Sortlist we do not reach out to you using WhatsApp.
Be careful with unexpected offers: If you get a job offer out of nowhere, especially if you didn't look for a job with us, be careful. Scammers often target people who didn't ask for a job.
Keep your info safe: Never give your private or money info on WhatsApp or any messaging app unless you're sure it's us and the job is real.
Look closely at job ads: If you're not sure about a job offer, check the details in the ad, like the job description, requirements, and where it's located. Real job ads have clear and specific info.
Report suspicious stuff: If you think you've found a WhatsApp job ad scam or something fishy, tell your local authorities and the app where you got the message. Also, tell Sortlist so we can stop these scammers.
Conclusion
WhatsApp job ad scams are a big problem for job seekers and companies like Sortlist. To stay safe, be careful, check offers, and don't give out your info or money without making sure it's real. Remember, if an offer seems too good to be true, it probably is.
Stay cautious online to avoid falling for this tricky trend.