Fake job postings or scams

When reading job postings you need to be very careful not to respond to fake advertisements. Fake job advertisements are created by some people trying to trick others to make money or to exploit people’s need for work.

Always try to be very careful and check all the data in the posting well.

• Read carefully. You must always read the postings very carefully before contacting or responding to the offer. Don’t trust ads that are too short, give very little information, or are unclear.
• Check if the company exists. If you see a job posting that interests you, check that the company exists before applying. If the ad is posted on a job search website, the name of the company or employment agency must appear. If you have the name of the company, you could do the following to make sure it exists:
• • Use Google or another search engine to find information about the company. You may also find reviews (comments about the company and its business) or warnings.
  • Search writing: “[company name] + scam” to find out if someone has written a comment on an illegal activity of the company.
  • Use the Chamber of Commerce (Camera di Commercio) website to check if the company really exists. The Chamber of Commerce is a public body that follows the activities of companies in a territory. All companies are obliged to register with the Business Register held by the Chamber of Commerce. Click on the link below enter the name of the company you want to verify in the “Nome Impresa o Attività” box. If no information is suggested to you, the company’s activity could be suspicious.
    Search the database of Chamber of Commerce
    
    
• Don’t trust job postings asking you for money to start working. No reliable company will ask for money from a future worker for any reason. For example, beware of anyone who asks you to first make a transfer for a training course to start working. Or buy a “work kit”, or a “software that will help you in your work” or any other material.
• Automatic messages. Fai attenzione al messaggio o email che iniziano con “Gentile Utente”, “Caro Utente” e simili. Pay attention to messages or emails starting with “Dear User” or similar.
• Always check the email address to which you send information. After the @ in most cases the company name is written. An email address like companyname@gmail.it is probably not real. On the other hand, an email address of the type humanresources@nameofcompany.it is probably real and serious. Always check the company website to check if the email address is real.
• If the posting says that the job will only be explained to you “on site” or “in person” and not over the phone, do not trust immediately. Do your research to find out if it’s a scam.
• Don’t trust postings that promise a lot of money in little time. There are no real jobs where you can work a little and earn a lot. Often these announcements are just ways to get people’s attention.
• How much and when they will pay you. Phrases such as “it depends on your experience”, “depending on your skill level”, or “earnings are variable” are signs that this job may not be quite serious or real. If you have any doubts because the matter is not entirely clear to you, do not hesitate to ask.
• If you use social networks like Facebook, LinkedIn or others, pay attention to the people you contact or who contact you. Find out about this person’s activity on social media (for example if he adds many people in a short time) and the type of message he sends you (for example, if he wants a quick response from you). In such cases, don’t trust it right away and do your research to figure out if it’s a scam. Take your time.
• Don’t trust any calls or emails saying you’ve won a cash prize or gift. They will surely ask you to click a link or write your personal and banking details to get the prize. Do not give out personal information and do not click on links. This is almost certainly a scam.
• Avoid postings that offer you an interview at odd times or unusual places, such as the home of the person doing the interview.

The law in Italy says that an anonymous person’s job postings by an anonymous person are illegal. You can report the scams to the police. You can report online scams to Commissariato di Pubblica Sicurezza Online.