In this guide
For careers services and recruiters
Running a scam awareness session for job seekers
A short session plan for careers services: common recruitment scam patterns, a practical checking exercise and a simple routine for participants to follow.
Why it is worth an hour
Recruitment scams target people who are under pressure: recently redundant, new to a country, early in their careers or searching for a long time. A participant who recognises the patterns is far less likely to share money or personal data with a fake employer.
A one-hour session plan
| Time | Activity |
|---|---|
| 10 minutes | Common scam patterns, with anonymised or invented examples |
| 20 minutes | Small groups check three sample adverts and decide which are suspicious and why |
| 15 minutes | How to check an employer: public company records, official websites, switchboard numbers |
| 10 minutes | What to do if something has already been shared, and where to report |
| 5 minutes | The routine to follow, and how to contact your team |
Patterns to cover
- Requests for money for training, equipment, checks or visas before a job starts.
- Offers made without a genuine interview.
- Pressure to decide or reply immediately.
- Contact only through messaging apps or free email addresses.
- Requests for bank details or identity documents before an offer.
- Pay that is far above what the role normally pays, for little work.
A routine participants can follow
Before replying to an unexpected job offer
- Search the company's official records and website independently.
- Check that the recruiter's email domain matches the company.
- Refuse any request for payment.
- Do not send identity documents or bank details before a genuine offer.
- Ask a careers adviser or someone you trust if anything feels wrong.
Where Luceria fits
Luceria's free public check looks up company records without an account, and its Verify review helps people examine adverts and messages for warning signs. Both support judgement rather than certifying that an opportunity is legitimate.
Common questions
Should we use real scam adverts in training?
Real examples are powerful, but anonymise them and remove any links or contact details so participants cannot accidentally engage with the scammers.
How often should we repeat the session?
Include it at the start of every programme, and mention it again whenever participants start receiving offers.
Put it into practice
See how Luceria helps with thisDrafted with AI assistance and checked against Luceria’s editorial standards. Examples are illustrative, not real people’s results. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.