Top 5 Common Job Scams You Should Be Aware of

Recently, many people have shared stories about being scammed by employers offering home-based cross-stitching jobs. The trend of cross-stitch art has gained popularity, and individuals with a knack for craftsmanship and some free time often take up the hobby. However, creating a perfect piece of cross-stitch artwork takes considerable time and effort, so some stores selling pre-made designs have begun recruiting "collaborators" to stitch at home.

Numerous advertisements for these cross-stitching opportunities appear on social media, and many individuals fall victim to these scams. The recruitment ads promise details about the employer, payment rates, deadlines, and even contract terms. Notably, they often require a deposit fee ranging from 350,000 to 400,000 VND per piece, depending on its size. Housewives, stay-at-home mothers, and students looking for extra income are often drawn to these offers and sign up to receive the materials for stitching. Unfortunately, many of these individuals become frustrated when they deliver their completed work only to be criticized for reasons like imperfect stitching, incorrect design, or loose beads. The employer demands revisions and insists they won’t pay unless the mistakes are fixed. Even after multiple revisions, the employer remains dissatisfied, and the workers are forced to take back their finished product with only the deposit paid. This is a new form of scam where the buyer selects the design and completes the product themselves. It’s strongly advised to seek such jobs through trusted acquaintances, or simply avoid this type of work altogether.

Job postings with titles such as supervisor, manager, or security positions at supermarkets nationwide have been appearing frequently on Google, but they are actually part of a new scam. The job requirements seem normal: a high school diploma and an ID card are enough to apply for these positions at major supermarkets. The listings advertise attractive benefits that are hard for any job seeker to resist. To make the scam even more convincing, these ads often emphasize that there are 'no fees' required to apply, making applicants feel secure.

However, after an interview, the situation changes drastically. The job seekers are asked to pay a fee of 450,000 VND in two installments. Worse still, the actual job location is not the supermarket as promised. According to human resources departments at major chains like Big C, Metro, and Coopmart, their recruitment process is straightforward, with no intermediaries, and all job listings are posted directly on their official websites. Legitimate recruitment agencies also never charge more than 200,000 VND per candidate, as higher fees are considered fraudulent under Vietnamese law.

The idea of quickly becoming wealthy with enticing monthly earnings reaching tens of millions from joining a multi-level marketing (MLM) scheme has become all too familiar to many people. In reality, MLM itself is not illegal, but human greed has transformed it into a tool for deceiving workers. The key feature of fraudulent MLM operations is that profits aren't made from selling products, but rather through recruiting new members. Offers such as: earning tens of millions per month, participating in skill development courses, and gaining experience in a dynamic work environment, are often the tempting promises used by malicious recruiters to pull job seekers into MLM networks.

The requirements to apply are usually simple and accessible to almost anyone, and the more people you recruit, the quicker you can rise to a 'leadership' position. New recruits are required to purchase company products upfront, and the money spent goes toward distributing commissions within the group. This fraudulent MLM practice is nothing new, yet it continues to trap many people, especially students, with increasingly sophisticated tactics that prey on their belief in an easy job with a huge income. Distinguishing between a legitimate and fraudulent MLM company can be challenging, but it's important to remain cautious and take time to research thoroughly before committing to such opportunities.

A simple search for 'home-based typing jobs' reveals countless ads promising attractive earnings that appeal to those seeking easy, high-paying work. Many of these ads promote simple tasks such as typing and data entry, offering salaries between 3,000,000 and 4,000,000 VND per month with flexible hours. These ads target individuals eager to supplement their income. According to recruiters, the job involves typing captcha codes, with rates of about 15,000 VND per 1,000 codes. Each captcha contains 6-8 characters, and there's no need to distinguish between uppercase and lowercase. With average typing skills, you could earn 80,000 to 120,000 VND daily, reaching 3,000,000 to 4,000,000 VND monthly. Payments are supposedly made on a fixed date via ATM, as outlined in the contract. However, workers are required to pay a 200,000 VND fee for each contract, with many confusing and unclear terms.

Despite feeling uneasy about the arrangement, many people still accept the fee. However, once they start the job, they quickly realize it’s a deceptive game. The captcha codes are much more complicated than expected, and no matter how skilled you are at typing, the 15-second time limit makes it impossible to solve the complex codes. After making several mistakes, the account is locked. This scam cleverly exploits people's determination and impatience. No one has the endurance to continue working with such difficult captchas, and once they give up, the money they paid is lost to the fraudulent recruiter. Such job ads are constantly appearing on Google, and many fall into this well-designed trap.

The rise of recruitment agencies has provided legitimate job opportunities for many, but some unscrupulous agencies exploit this system to scam job seekers. According to several students who fell victim to such scams, these agencies often advertise aggressively through flyers and claim to be legitimate, while in reality, they are fraudulent. Many people, after attending consultations with so-called 'recruitment experts,' end up paying hefty fees, sometimes hundreds of thousands of VND, for jobs that promise low effort and high pay.

The truth is, workers will never recover the money they pay for 'reservation fees,' 'administrative processing fees,' or fees for products, uniforms, training courses, and certifications. The fraudulent agencies justify this by claiming that they only refund money if the company doesn't hire the individual. If the company hires the person but they fail to perform adequately, the agency takes no responsibility and refuses to return the money. These agencies often use this tactic to continue their fraudulent schemes under the guise of a legitimate process. To avoid falling victim to these scams, job seekers should seek out reputable, government-regulated employment agencies. Additionally, those with specific skills should research the websites of potential employers to avoid giving away personal information to fraudulent agencies.