Job Scams: Fake Sterile Processing Recruiters
Selendra Barefield, B.S., CRCST, CHL, CIS
Although social media is a popular place to publish and find job advertisements, it’s not always obvious what is authentic. During my experience in recruiting and social media marketing, I’ve come across several suspicious job postings. The three most recent postings were obvious. First, the fake recruiter used a Gmail account instead of a business account. Second, their social media account did not have a history of posts, friends, or followers. Finally, their social media account was not tied to their company’s website. In general, a legitimate job ad on social media from a recruiter will provide the same expert information about the position, benefits, or income you’d anticipate finding in a listing on a job site. The challenge with social media job postings.
Social Media Groups
On Facebook and LinkedIn, you can frequently find job postings in groups that anybody with permission to join can post. It is your responsibility to exercise caution when searching for a job because public groups lack an admin filter that can detect phishing bots and scammers. The first indication that you may have been the victim of a social media scam is a private message you receive from an unknown person that claims to be in response to a job application or information request. You should keep track of your job hunt by noting the positions you’ve applied for, the businesses you’ve looked into, the contacts you’ve made, etc. It’s possible that someone other than the person you anticipate will get in touch with you. But before clicking links or providing personal information, search for more hints if the job description, the firm, or the timing seem unfamiliar. Examine the sender’s profile if you receive a message within an app like Facebook or Instagram messenger.
Don’t Pay to Play or Get Played
While many staffing agencies, temporary agencies, headhunters, and other placement companies are trustworthy, there are some that misrepresent the services they will provide, advertise phony or obsolete job postings, and collect fees for fake services. Genuine placement agencies frequently do not charge a fee. Instead, they are paid a fee by the employing organization to discover qualified candidates. Avoid a placement agency if they demand payment. You can be the victim of fraud. Also, beware of job postings that offer to pay outrageously more than their competitor. I will admit that there are smaller agencies that can pay great wages when compared to larger agencies. When I worked for a smaller agency we were able to pay Sterile Processing Travelers great money because we had less overhead. You will have to do your research before you move forward with any recruiter you find on social media.
Your Checklist: 7 C’s
Use this checklist to help keep your information safe. I don’t endorse nor am I being paid for the companies listed. This is for information purposes only.
Check the email address of the sender if you receive an email from a social media contact or someone claiming that you participate in a specific group or applied for a travel job. Remember, the sender’s name and the company name should be included in their professional email addresses. For example, selendra@abcrecruit.com
Check website links using secure search tools like Norton SafeWeb and Google Transparency Report to make sure you’re not letting a hacker into your system.
Call the number provided. You want to call the main number of the organization, not the number that links you back to the person that contacted you initially. For example, you want to call a number and reach the operator that says, “Thank you for calling ABC Recruit how may I direct your call”. You can use the following link to reverse-check phone numbers checkcallernumber.com Beware that scammers can change their phone number to resemble a local number even though they are on the other side of the world. Also, don’t rely on caller ID. Scammers are able to appear to be calling from a legit company.
Check where the link takes you. Pay attention to the URL at the top of your screen. If you notice any differences in the URL of their home page, landing page, or careers page, you should run or proceed with extreme caution. Verify the information they supplied in their outreach versus the link to their page in your trusted browser.
Call for a video or phone conversation. In my experience, a scammer does not want to be caught on camera or on video.
Connection requests using secure apps like Telegram. It is safe to believe that a recruiter is fraudulent if they request a connection using a secure app like Telegram. These end-to-end encrypted platforms give scammers a place to operate undetected.
Conduct a search online. Search for the company or individual whose name you are about to be employed along with the terms “scam,” “review,” or “complaint.” You might learn that they have conned others.
Social media is a great way for me to post travel positions for Sterile Processing Professionals. However, I’ve seen the rise of fake recruiters. Please use the tips above and the resources below to keep yourself safe. If you want more tips, please join my Facebook Group Sterile Processing Grapevine, or visit my website Eyeonspd.com for a network of information.
Your Resources
YouTube News video: Fake Job Recruiters on LinkedIn
On checkcallernumber.com users can reverse lookup phone numbers and share the information if the caller number is safe or not.
If you see or lose money to a job scam, report it to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. You can also report it to your state attorney general