Staying Safe During Your Online Job Search Revisited v. COVID-19

COVID-19... Enough said... it is wreaking havoc on our healthcare systems. It has changed the way we work and interact. It’s even changed our wardrobe (who knew face masks could be so stylish).  While it is bringing out the best is so many of our neighbors, banding together against a common enemy while social distancing; it is also opening new ways for those unsavory characters to try to take advantage of us when we are already down.

While there are so many amazing acts of kindness happening in the world today, we encourage you to be on the lookout for fraudulent job postings and claims. Remember, the first rule of self-protection when looking for a job online during this pandemic is that if it feels too good be true, it probably is.

Advice from the Federal Trade Commission
The FTC shares in one of their recent blog posts that as people start looking for work at home jobs due to the coronavirus, there are a few things to stay alert about: 

• Don’t pay to get a job. And remember some can get creative on this including sending you to a form to fill out to purchase a specific piece of equipment or asking you to go buy a gift card and sending it off for the next step.  Legitimate work at home companies may require you to have some technology, but you won’t have to purchase it from them.
• Avoid fake job ads. Search online for an employer’s name, email address and phone number to verify legitimacy. 
• Keep personal information personal during the interview.   The FTC also shares that scammers are using COVID-19 messaging for Medicare and relief payment messages. Similarly, we also need to be aware that they may be using these same types of messages to lure job seekers into sharing personal information such as your driver’s license or social security number or requesting bank account information. Legitimate employer will never ask for this type of information during the interview.

Stay on top of all types of imposter scams by visiting ftc.gov/imposters, and sign up for the FTC’s Consumer Alerts to get the latest on all kinds of scams.

Safe Online Job Search Blog
Need a refresher on a safe online job search? You can read our previous blog on this topic to learn more about how to stay safe during your job search. We’ve pulled some of the highlights of that blog here as it relates to employment advice with TTEC. 

Here's how you can tell for sure if you are being contacted by a real representative of TTEC.

You’ll know it is a TTEC recruiter when: 

• You receive an email from a @ttec.com or @teletech.com email address
• You are interviewed before you are sent an offer letter
• You will find the real job on our website at TTECjobs.com (or TeleTechJobs.com)

At TTEC we will never: 

• Ask you to transfer or wire money
• Ask you to pay for recruitment-related expenses
• Ask you to interview in Google Hangouts or other online public domains
• Send you an email from any address that doesn't have @ttec.com or @teletech.com in the domain name
• Send an unsolicited job offer - asking you for your driver's license, social security number or bank account information
• Ask you to order equipment from us
• Note: for certain at home or remote jobs you may be required to have your own computer equipment for use in your job.  This is common practice for the work at home field.  We never require you to purchase anything from TTEC.

Federal Communications Commission
The FCC also reports an increase in scams across the board from free home testing kits to promoting bogus cures. The site offers some insightful tips that also apply to the job search world:

• Do not respond to calls or texts from unknown numbers, or any others that appear suspicious.
• Never share your personal or financial information via email, text messages, or over the phone.
• Be cautious if you’re being pressured to share any information or make a payment immediately.

We hope this information helps you protect yourself from scammers during your job search. 

If you feel you've been deceived by someone using the TTEC name, please do let us know.  Email us at jobopportunities@ttec.com (HINT: that's one way you know it's us!) and we will review the situation. You can also go directly to our Contact Us page on TTECjobs.com and submit the form online.  And remember, we value every applicant who decides they'd like to work with us at TTEC. Please help us value other applicants by sharing this helpful list with your fellow job searchers!

Finding yourself in need of filing a complaint? You can submit job scam complaints to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).

Interested in more tips? TTEC's Nick Cerise shares  5 tips for Avoiding Work-from-Home scams.