You’ve been seeking a new role in the Salesforce ecosystem for months. You finally have a recruiter get in contact for a role that sounds perfect and you apply straight away…only to find out down the line that you’ve been scammed.
Scammers have been around for centuries but now with technology and the rise in AI, they are finding more ways than ever to get money and they’ve started to target the recruitment sector. In the UK it’s believed that two-thirds of job seekers have been targeted, and the numbers continue to rise.
It feels like you can’t do anything without being pulled into a scam these days, but there are ways in which you can spot a scam Salesforce recruiter and protect yourself from being dragged into one.
For this blog, we discussed what you need to look out for and the steps you can take to ensure you’re protected from scam recruiters.
How scammers are using AI
Salesforce is at the forefront of using AI to improve its software and service to customers, not just in the UK but across the world. It can be used to do some amazing things, but it can also be used to commit fraud and affect people in several ways.
Scammers have noticed this and now use it to target job seekers and recruitment firms so they can get their ‘winnings’. AI can be used in multiple ways, but these are the typical ways they will use this technology:
- Create tailored emails, messages, and image content
- Deep fake videos – taking known recruiters from sites like LinkedIn to look authentic
- Chatbots – Enticing job seekers pretending to be someone on the other side
- Voice cloning – this has improved in recent years, and now much harder to recognise if it is fake
With easy access to AI such as ChatGPT, Copy.AI, and even Canva, it’s becoming much harder to understand what is real or fake. So, when it comes to finding your new Salesforce opportunity, there are a few things you can look out for that will keep you safe.
Common recruitment scam tactics and what to look out for
Check the email address
Any email can look legit, but the one aspect that can show it’s a scam is the email address.
If you receive an email for a Salesforce opportunity that ends in Gmail or Outlook.com, then it isn’t from a reputable recruitment agency. For example, you receive an email from us that comes as steadmanbrown@gmail.com or joe.steadmanbrown@outlook.com, then it will be a scam.
Look for emails from recruitment agencies that are laid out as 'name@recruitmentcomany.com /.co.uk' to be sure that it is a legitimate recruitment email.
Unsure if it’s a scam or not?
For any recruitment emails you receive and you’re unsure if it’s real, get in touch with the recruitment agency directly to see if they’ve contacted you.
Phishing emails
This ties in with the above when it comes to spotting a scam recruitment email. The email address is just one of the ways you can point out a scam, but you can also find ways in which scammers will target you in the body of the email itself:
- Emails with grammatical errors and poorly written.
- Descriptions that are vague or don’t detail the type of business the job would be for.
- Any links included that don’t start with https:/ are not secure and can be used to steal information.
- Attached forms that ask for personal details such as address, bank details, etc.
- Jobs that are not in your location or completely different country.
- When you respond for more details and say they can’t offer you them right now/at this time.
Offers too good to be true
For this let's look at Salesforce Administrators; the median wage bracket across the UK for this role is £37,000 to £54,000 depending on the level of experience needed. So, if you see Salesforce Administrator roles heading towards the £80,000 – £90,000 mark, take it with a pinch of salt and research the typical wage for your role before applying.
How to know if the offer is real
If you see this high a wage on job boards such as Indeed or LinkedIn, look to find the same job on their website or research similar roles and compare wages, if it’s higher than the others then you know it’s a scam.
Asked to give private information
All the information a recruiter or agency will need to contact you for an interview is on your CV. If they start to request more information such as your address, or even bank details it will be a scam. The only time bank details will be needed is once you have signed a contract and started your role with a company.
What to do if this happens
You could ask them why they would need such personal information and this early a stage, but we suggest that you decline to offer such details. They will try to push you and give reasons why they need it, but it is in your best interest to stop and decline further involvement.
Job offers made before an interview
So, you’ve applied for a job that seemed legitimate then suddenly you receive an email to say you’ve been successful and got the job! Seems too good to be true? That’s because it is.
No matter the role in the Salesforce ecosystem, an employer will want to know about your experiences and skills within Salesforce, and maybe even ask you to complete a task to show your competencies. Only then would an offer be made if successful.
How you can further protect yourself from scammers
- Job boards – don’t apply straight away. If the job description says who has uploaded it (such as a recruiter/agency) visit their site first. You could also send your CV directly to the agency if you feel safer.
- GOV.UK – To be certain that the recruitment agency or recruiter is reputable, search for the business on GOV.UK.
- Find the recruiter online – Has a recruiter come to you directly with an opportunity? Search for them on LinkedIn and the ‘Meet the Team’ page if they give the name of a recruitment agency. Can’t find them? Don’t reply and block all forms of contact.
- Use a well-known Salesforce recruitment agency – We’re known across the UK as one of the most reliable agencies and have placed over 400 candidates in their dream Salesforce roles.
What you should do if you’ve been targeted
We can give you all the tips to look out for to ensure scam recruiters don’t target you, but sometimes they get through the cracks and hit you without realising. If you’ve been one of the unlucky Salesforce professionals who’s been targeted here is what you should do:
Contact your bank
If you’ve noticed any money has been taken from your account without prior knowledge, let your bank know immediately.
Stop all contact with the scammers
Worried you’ve become a target? Stop all contact. Block their details including phone, email, and any social platforms (LinkedIn/WhatsApp) so they can no longer get your information.
Report to Action Fraud
Collect as many details as possible such as email addresses, names, and the business name if it’s been given to you.
Inform the recruitment agency
If the scammers have said they are from a recruitment agency that is active and official, inform them straight away so they are also aware of any activity.
Conclusion
When we think of scams recruitment isn’t the first that comes to mind. But as Salesforce continues to grow and the need for professionals rises, scammers have found a new way to get what they want.
AI is playing a huge part in this new wave of fraud and with its constant evolution, it will become harder to know when you have been scammed. But the more you understand their motives and how they will target job seekers the easier it can be to notice recruitment scammers.
