David Searns | Co-CEO
CAN YOU HELP A FELLOW STAFFING EXECUTIVE? Employment scams targeting staffing companies.
After the newsletter I wrote two weeks ago about using AI to write a newsletter, I received the following note from one of our regular readers:
I was thinking about the challenge of having to come up with new content all the time, content that speaks to the pain points of clients. So, I thought I’d share with you one of our current pain points! I’m curious if this is a challenge for many of HMG’s other clients…a possible future newsletter/blog topic? 😉 The challenge has been dealing with employment scams. These darn scammers are running around in the marketplace, pretending to be us and misleading job seekers/candidates, and getting more and more sophisticated. Previously they’d just use our company name, but now they copy our branding or real names and photos of our recruiters, so even candidates who are savvy enough to dig deeper sometimes fall for it. We had to publish a post about employment scams (which we periodically share on socials, e-news, and with scam victims who contact us). I’ve noticed some staffing firms have gone so far as to add a site-wide banner. In an age where credibility is king, these employment scams are the bane of reputable recruiters!
Got any ideas to help?
To be candid, this issue is well outside my area of expertise, so I am reaching out to YOU and all of our readers to ask for help.
As an industry, we are a community.
We all benefit when we help each other to solve problems that are universal to staffing.
If you have any ideas to help the person who sent me the email above, PLEASE reach out to me and share your ideas. I’ll publish all the responses in a future issue of this newsletter.
When in doubt, ask ChatGPT
After receiving this request, I reached out to our team to see if anyone had helped a client deal with this situation.
My Co-CEO responded back that she put the issue into ChatGPT to ask for help, and here’s what the AI suggested:
Dealing with such a serious issue requires a multi-faceted approach. Here are some recommendations for a staffing company facing this problem:
Immediate Actions:
- Report to Authorities:
- Report the scam to local law enforcement and cybercrime units.
- File a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) or the equivalent body in your country.
- Notify Affected Parties:
- Inform your clients, employees, and job applicants about the scam.
- Use your website, social media, and email communications to warn about the fraud and clarify your hiring practices.
- Legal Action:
- Consult with a legal professional to explore options for legal action against the perpetrators.
- Consider sending cease and desist letters to the parties involved in the scam.
Strengthening Online Security:
- Enhanced Website Security:
- Implement strong security measures, such as SSL certificates, secure login processes, and regular security audits.
- Monitor your website for any unusual activities or unauthorized changes.
- Trademark and Copyright Protection:
- Ensure your business name, logo, and other brand elements are trademarked.
- Regularly monitor the internet for unauthorized use of your trademarks.
Educating and Assisting Job Seekers:
- Clear Communication:
- Clearly state your hiring process on your website, including the fact that you never charge applicants.
- Provide detailed contact information and encourage applicants to verify job offers through your official channels.
- Create a Verification Process:
- Develop a system for job applicants to verify the authenticity of job offers they receive.
- Public Awareness Campaign:
- Launch a campaign to educate the public about job scams and how to avoid them.
- Use blogs, social media posts, and press releases to raise awareness.
Ongoing Monitoring and Prevention:
- Monitor Online Presence:
- Use tools to monitor your brand’s online presence and quickly identify any fraudulent activity.
- Regularly check job boards and social media for fake job postings.
- Engage with the Community:
- Build a community of job seekers and industry professionals who can help report and identify scams.
- Encourage your network to stay vigilant and report suspicious activities.
Collaboration and Support:
- Collaborate with Industry Peers:
- Work with other staffing companies to share information about scams and best practices for preventing them.
- Join industry associations that can provide support and resources.
- Support Victims:
- Provide support and resources for victims of the scam, such as guidance on how to report the fraud and protect their personal information.
Thank you ChatGPT
That’s not a bad list of ideas.
Unfortunately, when it comes to bad actors, there is little we can do to prevent their actions.
One of the best solutions we have is to act cooperatively, as an industry, to raise awareness about how ethical staffing and recruiting agencies operate.
Be clear on your website, social media, email marketing, job advertising, PR, and even in the words your team uses.
Be clear about how you operate. How you charge for your services. How you interact with employers and job seekers.
While we can’t stop the bad guys, we can show them how the good guys really work.
Hope this is helpful, David |
