Beware of the Jobcentre

Watch out for these bogus job scams!

There's no point being savvy about money if you have none coming in. Many people who find themselves unemployed turn to Jobcentre Plus, “The Nation’s Official Website”, in order to get back to work. Because of its association with the government - it is an executive agency of the Department of Work and Pensions - people feel they can trust the jobs advertised there.

However, it has been revealed that 'fake' or ‘bogus’ jobs are being displayed both on the Jobcentre Plus website and within its branches. Although Jobcentre Plus says that it works hard to check the validity of all the jobs it advertises, it admits that some may 'fall through the net'. 

The Problem

The economic climate has seen an increase in rates of unemployment, making it a perfect time for unscrupulous scammers to tap into the jobseeker ‘market’. It is expected that the number of jobseekers will increase further over the coming months, largely due to the current welfare reform shake up.

Incapacity Benefit is being scrapped and people claiming that benefit are being reassessed for Employment and Support Allowance. It is predicted that many claimants under the old system will be judged as being ‘fit for work’ under the new guidelines. This means they will not be given Employment and Support Allowance, but will have to claim Jobseekers Allowance instead, and actively look for work. Strict rules mean that your benefits can be cut or stopped altogether if you don’t apply for a set number of jobs, or if you repeatedly refuse jobs offered to you.

But what if the jobs you are applying for, through the trusted arena of Jobcentre Plus, turn out to be bogus? As more and more people, some in already vulnerable positions, turn to the Jobcentre to search and apply for jobs, does the Jobcentre have an increased duty to check the validity of its job advertisements? 

How to recognize a Jobcentre Scam

There are certain job adverts that should automatically raise your suspicions. If a job is offering unrealistic cash for little effort, if they are asking you to pay money for ‘training’, or if you are told to call a premium rate number to apply for the job, then it might be wise to steer clear! 

A good example of a dubious job advertisement, found on the Jobcentre Plus website, is the role of ‘eBay Auction Lister.’ Using your own eBay account you sell goods on behalf of a company. When the auction ends, the Buyer sends you the money, which you send on to the ‘company’ (minus a small commission for yourself) and the ‘company’ should then dispatch the goods to the customer. In reality, the company disappears after you’ve sent the money; the customer receives nothing and complains to eBay and Paypal, who issue a refund – from your account! They then pursue you for the debt. 

Another common scam involves an applicant giving all their details to a potential ‘employer’ and being told an application pack will be posted out to them. You then receive a package containing a mobile handset, followed by an apologetic call from the ‘employer’ explaining that the wrong package has been sent and you have someone else’s phone instead of the application pack. They send a courier to pick up the phone, then later you do receive a pack in the mail – but it is a Welcome Pack from a mobile phone company. A contract has been set up in your name, using all the details you gave out earlier. The handset is with the fake employer, but the bills come through to the applicant.

Are the Jobcentre doing enough?

Despite claims by the Department of Work and Pensions that the Jobcentre has a dedicated team of staff who check the validity of the jobs they post, they have admitted that it is impossible to check every single advert. With upward of 10,000 jobs a day being posted nationally it would take a huge investment to commit to thoroughly checking out each post, which would not be viable on a practical level.

There is an argument that applicants shouldn’t expect to be ‘spoon-fed’ by the government, and many will say that people need to have a measure of personal responsibility for their own safety. Just as we can’t realistically expect Yellow Pages to check every advert it puts in its directory, we can’t expect the Jobcentre to vet every job.

But I think the Jobcentre could do more than it currently is. ‘Obvious’ scam jobs seem to frequently slip through the net. ‘Roles’ like the eBay scam, or jobs demanding up-front payments from applicants, should ring immediate alarm bells with Jobcentre staff and warrant further investigation. The Jobcentre could also protect themselves, to a degree, by publishing warnings on its site that not all jobs have been vetted so jobseekers do not blindly trust what they are reading.

Staying Safe

Employment scams have been ripping people off for years – you just don’t expect to see them in the Jobcentre! If you are looking for work then follow these tips:

•          Do not call expensive premium rate numbers (usually starting with 070 or 090) to find out about a job.
•          Don’t give out personal or financial details such as bank account number, National Insurance number etc. These should only be given when you have a job offer or start a job.
•          Don’t pay any upfront fees.
•          Investigate the company yourself. Do an internet search and check Companies House to make sure they exist! 

Jobcentre Plus does have a section on its website dedicated to safe jobseeking, so take a look for more information.

Protect yourself!

If you are not sure about the validity of a job then take the initiative; investigate it yourself, asking the Citizens Advice Bureau for help if necessary, and report any suspect ads to your local Jobcentre Plus.

More: The top low-rate credit card