How to protect yourself from recruitment phishing scams - FAKE ADVERTS!!

Unfortunately, phishing scams - a type of social engineering attack often used to obtain user data – have become all too commonplace, and recruitment agencies, like Vardey Recruitment and many others I know, have been targeted.

Today, May 8th 2024 a candidate made me aware of a job advertised by Vardey Recruitment, a Financial Controller job in Ringwood. The candidate received a email from a company called "beBee jobs" with a list of what she thought were live jobs!

Down the list was our company name, job advert a recruiters name, unknown to me! and an option to apply.....

BEWARE THIS IS A SCAM!!

This job is not a live job but an old job advert copied by scammers!!!

They are reaching out to people with fake job opportunities and creating fake email signatures with often logo's so you naturally think the job is real! 

To help protect yourself against a potential phishing scam, please note the ways in which Vardey Recruitment Ltd will communicate with you:

Via a verified email address
Vardey Recruitment Ltd conduct email communications using the following domains: @vardeyrecruitment.com or @vardeyrecruitment.co.uk and will never contact people with any other email service to communicate with jobseekers (watch out for gmail email addresses or similar).

Formal interview process via teams or whats app video call
We conduct formal interview processes, again these will be set up using an official Vardey recruitment email address, which will use the @vardeyrecruitment.co or co.uk format or via Clare Vardey - via mobile 07816 873747 reach out directly to your mobile number.

No payment requests
We will never ask for payment from candidates as part of our recruitment process, be that for service or visa fees, background or taxes – we do not work in this way at all.

We do not request personal information during the early stages of the process
Clare at Vardey Recruitment Ltd may request a passport at the latter stage of an interview process, again, these requests will come from an official @vardeyrecruitment.com / co.uk email address, and will only be necessary when you are in a formal interview process as part of regulatory requirements by the UK government which require all firms to check a candidate’s right to work in the UK before hiring.

Clare is the only person who will be contacting you. Visit here to read more about me! Who will contact you

Legitimate contact details can be found here: Clare contact details

How to protect yourself from job scams:

• Do not respond to text messages and calls from suspicious and unknown numbers.
• Do not transfer money to people you do not know.
• Do not share personal and sensitive information such as your bank account/credit card details, or passport number.
• Other steps you can follow:
• If you wish to verify the legitimacy of a message, email or phone call that you receive from an individual claiming to be from Vardey Recruitment Ltd you can contact me directly to check! clare@vardeyrecruitment.com tel: 07816 873747

Please avoid any further communication with the individual and report the message or advert to the NCSC link below and if you can block the name on your phone and in your emails. Any advice you need please don't hesitate to contact me.

Clare

May 2024

If you do receive what you suspect are scam calls or messages you should also file a report with the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC)
Link to Report