Job Hunting Briefcase

Some bad elements take advantage of job-seekers' eagerness to find jobs and defraud them of money or other benefits. As their tricks come in different forms, job-seekers should always stay alert and be cautious about searching for jobs so as to avoid these traps and personal losses. The followings are some of the common tactics of rogues. Job-seekers should be alert to them and seek assistance from related bodies when necessary.

Pyramid Selling Schemes

You should be cautious about those sales jobs offering handsome pay or generous commissions. Some marketing companies or companies of direct sales place recruitment advertisements and persistently persuade applicants who come for interview to buy their products or convince them to buy their goods in order to join their sales business. If you find that the job involves hierarchical sharing of commission (i.e. pyramid selling) and the prices of the goods are higher than the market prices; or participants have to pay a large sum of money to join the scheme and make profit through recruiting scheme members rather than selling products, you should decline the job offer.

Pornographic Traps

Many entertainment establishments run pornographic business in disguise. Usually, the operators use high-paying jobs to attract job seekers who will uncover the truth only after they have signed the contracts. You should be highly alert and avoid being lured to engage in such business.

Talent Scout Scams

Some people introduce themselves as representatives from modelling agencies or dubbing companies. They will approach passers-by and claim that they have great potential to be models in commercials, singers, movie stars or fitting models, thereby inducing them to pay fees for training classes, beauty services or fitness courses, or camera charges, recommendation fee or deposits. However, no jobs may be referred eventually and the money paid will not be returned.

Financial and Investment Scams

Some swindlers pose themselves as operators of foreign exchange investment or marketing companies and offer handsome pay to enlist job seekers for the posts of clerk, copyist and cleaning staff, etc. Then, they persistently encourage their staff to make investments or even persuade them to transfer to investment posts in order to entice them to pour in their own or their relatives' and friends' money. In the end, they deceive their staff's money by claiming that the investments failed.

Theft of Personal Data

Under the pretext of recruitment, some people solicit important personal data from job seekers, such as information on bank accounts and credit cards. The personal data obtained will be used for application for loan from banks or financial institutions in the name of the job seekers, who have to bear the responsibility of repaying the loan eventually.

Unlawful work

Some bad elements manipulate young people to commit illegal deeds, such as selling pirated or counterfeit goods, illegal fund raising and debt collection for loan sharks so that they may get off the hook when the crime is detected by the police. You should beware of being manipulated to commit illegal deeds and avoid getting into trouble.

Charging Unreasonable Fees

Some swindlers invent reasons under the pretext of recruitment to impose unreasonable fees on job seekers in the name of different charges, such as registration fee, data processing fee, administration fee and documentation fee.

Luring Job Seekers to Pursue Further Studies

Under the pretext of recruitment, some swindlers induce job seekers to pay fees for training classes or other courses during interviews. You should be highly alert to these scams.

There are various employment traps, but if you are cautious and prudent, and inquire or seek assistance from related parties whenever you do not understand or are in doubt, you can avoid falling into the snares of criminals.

Below are some methods to detect employment traps:

Be realistic and sensible
Be pragmatic when you search for jobs. Don't believe in job advertisements requiring barely any experience or qualifications but offering a good sum of money. Check if the salary offered and the job requirements are realistic and commensurate with the market level. You should have general knowledge of the company background, scope of duties and the trade or industry concerned before applying for a job.
Be alert when attending interviews
Mind your personal safety when going for an interview. Heighten your vigilance if the interview is conducted too hastily or you are offered a job right away without an interview. Don't readily produce any important personal information or documents to others, especially those documents which are not related to the job. Don't be easily convinced to change to a job that is different from what is described in the job advertisement and unfamiliar to you.
Don't make payments or produce important documents readily
Normally, employees are not required to pay fees when they take up a job. Ask for the reasons if you are required to pay fees. Moreover, you should not readily produce important documents such as your Identity Card, bank cards and cheques.
Examine the contract terms and additional conditions carefully
Before you sign the contract, read all the terms carefully, including those stipulated in the staff handbooks. Don't sign contracts immediately if there are terms that you are not clear or are unfavourable to you. You should request taking away the contract for study before signing it. Companies generally allow job applicants taking away the contracts for consideration.
Don't sign documents readily
Don't sign any contract or authorization such as bank authorization if you are in doubt to avoid loss.
Check whether the scope of duties matches the descriptions in the advertisement or interview
If you are offered a job, check whether your duties are consistent with the descriptions set out in the job advertisement or discussed during interviews. Moreover, be alert if your boss persuades you to transfer to other jobs relating to investment or sales. Refuse unreasonable demands and never take up illegal duties. If you perform any duties against the law, you may commit a crime that will ruin your life.
Seek assistance
Keep abreast of current affairs and beware of the tricks of swindlers. Acquaint yourself with the rights and benefits of an employee. If you have any doubts, consult your family members or friends. Seek advice or assistance from related bodies such as the Police or the Labour Department when necessary.