Recruitment scams have always been prevalent in the maritime industry, but with the rise of modern technologies and impersonation intelligence, job seekers need to be vigilant now more than ever.
At Viking Crew, we have seen several candidates being misled into sharing their personal details and sending unnecessary payments.
In order to prevent recruitment scamming, we believe it is essential for candidates to be able to identify scams and respond accordingly.
How to identify a recruitment scam
A few major tells can immediately identify a recruitment scam. These include being approached via WhatsApp, receiving contact about a position you haven’t applied for, payment requests, and fake employee details.
The first step is to not click any links. Scammers might have hidden malware and viruses into the links, so it’s essential that you don’t click on any links in an unexpected email.
Then, check that the email address is legitimate. This step can sometimes be difficult because the email might look legitimate but it’s not. An easy way to check this is by visiting our website and seeing our contact information.
How to identify a fake job offer
Fake job offers are becoming more polished, giving genuine vessel names, head offices and job descriptions.
Scammers often include spelling mistakes in their messaging, and it’s one of the easiest ways to identify a scam. So, what might look like a slip of the keyboard might just be the work of a scammer.
Even if the email address looks legitimate and they have used company branding and logos to further legitimise the job offer, you can always check our team page to ensure you’re speaking to a real member of our team.
How to report a recruitment scam?
If you think you’ve been the target in a scam where someone has contacted you under the guise of being a member of Viking Crew or one of our clients, then be sure to report them here and include any attachments so that our team can help to protect others who may have been subjected to this.
By taking the necessary precautions and ensuring you use the steps above to help identify a scam, you can be confident in applying for your dream role with Viking Crew.
