Earlier in the year, the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) launched a campaign to raise awareness of job scams and employment fraud among job seekers, alongside JobsAware - a non-profit organisation that informs people of how to avoid and report job scams and other unfair working practices.
With seasonal job scams predicted to increase in the lead up to Christmas, we're now launching the next phase of this campaign, alongside JobsAware and Disclosure Scotland. This next phase will focus on:
- seasonal job scams in the months leading up to Christmas
- scams relating to money and fraudulent DBS checks
- how scammers orchestrate scams, and signs to be aware of
Seasonal job scams
In 2020, seasonal job scams increased by 88% compared to 2019. With the combination of furlough ending, and the impact of the pandemic leading to people looking for, or changing work, the number of seasonal job scams is likely to rise again in 2021.
Executive Director of Barring and Safeguarding at DBS, Dr Suzanne Smith, said:
Job scams happen all year round, but it is especially important to be alert to these scams during the festive period. The increase in seasonal and temporary jobs during this time is a perfect opportunity for scammers to try and take advantage of unsuspecting people. The impact of being victim to job scams can be utterly devastating and can ruin what should be a time of celebration and happiness.
Common signs of a job scam
