Stay Safe Online: How to Spot Job Scams and Protect Yourself During Your Job Search

In today’s competitive job market, finding the right role can be exciting - but it can also come with risks. With recruitment fraud on the rise, jobseekers must stay alert to avoid falling victim to online scams that prey on their ambitions.

According to consumer champion Which?, employment scams are among the top 10 most common scam threats in the UK. Young people aged 18–24 are particularly vulnerable, with scammers frequently impersonating legitimate recruitment agencies to appear credible. Without due diligence, looking for a new role can quickly turn into a risky business. In 2024, Action Fraud received 4,876 reports of job or recruitment fraud, more than doubling from 2,094 in 2022

At Acorn by Synergie, your safety is our top priority. We want to ensure you know what to look out for and how to stay secure when applying for roles online.

Common Job Scam Red Flags

Here are some signs that a job advert or recruiter may not be genuine:

• Poor spelling and grammar: Professional recruiters take pride in their communication. Be wary of ads full of errors.

• Requests for money: Whether it's for a ‘registration fee’, ‘security check’, or ‘training course’ - a legitimate agency will never ask you to pay to secure a job.

• Unprofessional email addresses: If you’re contacted by someone using a Gmail, Hotmail, or Yahoo address, be cautious. All Acorn recruitment consultants will contact you only via an official Acorn email:
  📧 firstname.surname@acornpeople.com

• No online presence: If the recruiter can’t be found on LinkedIn or the agency doesn’t appear to exist, that’s a red flag.

• Too good to be true: High salaries, flexible overseas roles, or ‘easy’ work-from-home opportunities that sound amazing? Be sceptical.

• Requests for sensitive personal info: Acorn will never ask for your bank details, passwords, or national insurance number over the phone.

How to Protect Yourself

Use these tips to stay one step ahead of fraudsters:

• Stick with trusted agencies: Only work with recruiters that are members of industry bodies like the Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC). Acorn by Synergie adheres to strict professional standards.

• Never pay to register: Legitimate recruitment agencies do not charge jobseekers to apply, register, or attend interviews.

• Protect your CV: Avoid including your full address, passport number, or banking details. Keep it simple with your name, contact info, skills, and work history.

• Ask questions: If you’re put forward for a job, ask for a full job spec, pay rates, and the hiring company’s details. Then, do your research.

• Stay in control of your documents: You should never be asked to hand over your original ID documents permanently.

• Be safe when attending interviews:

  • Verify the location beforehand to ensure it’s legitimate.

  • Share the details with a friend or family member.

  • Never attend an interview at your own home or accept a lift from a stranger.

How Acorn by Synergie Keeps You Safe

We are committed to ethical recruitment practices and protecting our candidates. You can trust that:

• We only contact candidates using official @acornpeople.com email addresses.

• We never request payments or charge jobseekers at any stage.

• Our consultants follow strict procedures to keep your data safe and your job search legitimate.

If you’re ever unsure about a communication claiming to be from Acorn, please contact us directly. Your safety is too important to leave to chance.

Think You’ve Been Targeted?

If you believe you’ve been approached by a scammer pretending to be from Acorn, report it to us immediately. Your report could help protect others too. 

Where to Report Job Scams in the UK

1. Action Fraud (UK’s national reporting centre for fraud and cybercrime)

📍 actionfraud.police.uk
📞 0300 123 2040
Use this to report any type of recruitment or employment fraud. You’ll receive a crime reference number, and your case will be assessed by the National Fraud Intelligence Bureau (NFIB).

2. JobsAware (formerly SAFERjobs)

📍 jobsaware.co.uk
JobsAware works with government and law enforcement to protect jobseekers and expose scam recruiters. You can report suspicious adverts, companies, or recruiters here. They also offer free guidance and support if you've been targeted.

3. Citizens Advice

📍 citizensadvice.org.uk
You can get help and advice on your rights and how to take further action. They can guide you on reporting employment scams and dealing with financial loss.

4. The Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC)

📍 rec.uk.com
If the agency or individual claims to be a member of the REC but acts suspiciously, you can report them here. The REC enforces professional standards in the industry.

5. Acorn by Synergie (if the scam uses our name)

📍 acornpeople.com

Or contact your known Acorn consultant via their official @acornpeople.com email address

If you suspect someone is impersonating Acorn or falsely claiming to be affiliated with us, please report it to us immediately so we can investigate and take appropriate action.

 

Stay smart, stay safe - and good luck in your job search.