How to spot fake job adverts
The warning signs of job scams, and what to do if an advert looks wrong.
The most important rule
A real employer doesn't ask you to pay to get a job. Be very careful with any advert or message that asks for money for an application, an interview, training, a uniform, a medical check or "processing".
Warning signs
- A salary that's much higher than usual for the work.
- No company name, or a name you can't find anywhere else.
- Only a phone number or a personal email address, with no office or website.
- Pressure to decide or pay quickly.
- A job offer without an interview.
- Requests for your ID, bank details or mobile money PIN early on.
- Spelling mistakes and vague duties.
Common tricks
- The "training fee": you are "selected" but must pay for training or registration before starting.
- The "medical check": you are told to pay a specific clinic or person for a check before an offer.
- The overseas job: an attractive job abroad that requires money for a visa, a ticket or "processing", paid to an individual.
- The mobile money request: a caller asks you to send money or share a code sent to your phone.
- The fake interview: an "interview" held only by text message, followed by an offer and a request for payment.
- The copied advert: a real company's name and logo used on an advert the company never placed.
How to check an employer
Look for the company's own website and see whether the job is listed there. Call the company using a number from its website, not from the advert. Ask people you trust whether they know the employer. On Kaziplat, every job links to the advert it came from, so you can check the original.
If you see a fake advert
Don't pay and don't share personal details. On Kaziplat, use the report option on the job page so we can check it and take it down. If you've lost money, report it to the police.
Jobs abroad
Real jobs abroad exist, but they attract many scams. Check that a recruitment agency is registered with the government authority responsible for labour and employment, and visit its office. Get the contract in writing before you pay for anything or travel, and make sure it names the employer, the job, the pay and the working conditions. Never hand over your passport to anyone except an official immigration or embassy office.
Protect your documents
Fraudsters can misuse copies of your ID and certificates. Send them only to employers you have checked. When you send a copy, you can add a line across it such as "For job application to [employer] only". Never share your mobile money PIN, bank passwords or codes sent to your phone, with anyone, for any reason.
Trust your judgement
If something feels wrong, stop and check. Take a day, talk to someone you trust, and look for the job on the employer's own website. A real opportunity will still be there tomorrow; a scam usually depends on you acting before you think.
More guides
- How to write a CV employers read
- How to write an application letter
- How to prepare for a job interview
- How to apply for a job by email
- Documents to have ready before you apply
- Finding your first job after college
- Applying for government jobs in Tanzania
- What to do after you apply
- Building the skills employers ask for
- How to read a job advert before you apply
- How to find an internship or field attachment
- How to search and apply for jobs using only your phone
- How to choose and prepare your referees
- How to prepare for written tests and aptitude tests
- What to check before you accept a job offer
- How to explain gaps in your CV
- How to find jobs through the people you know
- How to move into a new field
- How to do well in your first weeks at a new job