Australians lost more than $8.7 million in 2022 to job scams, with those aged 25-44 experiencing the biggest losses.
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) is warning young people – especially school leavers and university graduates – should be particularly cautious, as they are being “targeted by scammers”.
It says recruitment scams will usually promise ways to make money quickly.
How do the scams work?
The ACCC says scammers will often ask for payment in exchange for “guaranteed” income, and they’ll often be impersonating well-known recruitment agencies.
“Never make a payment or upfront investment to secure a job,” the ACCC says.
It also says to be particularly cautious of job offers made through social media or encrypted messaging platforms, such as WhatsApp.
