Candidate safety
How to spot a fake job advert and stay safe applying
Most employers are exactly who they say they are. A small number of fake adverts are designed to take your money or your identity, and they’ve become more common. Here’s how to tell the difference, and what to do if something goes wrong.
Never pay to get a job.
No ID until a real interview.
Check they’re real before you apply.
Seven warning signs of a fake job
- They ask you to pay, for training, a DBS check, a uniform, a starter kit, van hire, a visa or “admin”. A real employer pays its own costs.
- They want ID before an interview, such as photos of your passport, driving licence or bank card, or your National Insurance number, before you’ve spoken to anyone.
- Everything happens by text, with an “interview” on WhatsApp or Telegram, or a job offered without ever speaking to a person.
- The pay is too good, for the hours, with no experience needed, or a guaranteed income for work from home.
- The company is hard to find, with no Companies House record, a website only a few weeks old, or a free email address like Gmail or Hotmail.
- You’re rushed, told the place will go today, or asked to keep it quiet.
- The role is vague, like “multiple roles available, everyone welcome” with no real job title, location or manager.
How to check an employer in five minutes
- Look them up on Companies House. A limited company should be listed there and still active. Charities appear on the Charity Commission register.
- Check the website and email match. A real company usually emails from its own web address, not Gmail or Hotmail, and its website has an address and contact details.
- Search the company name with the word “scam”. Fake adverts are often reported quickly on forums and review sites.
- Look at where the Apply button sends you. Their own careers site or a known recruitment platform is normal. A Google Form asking for ID is not.
- Meet them in person if you can. Employers with a Verified exhibitor badge on our Jobs Board have booked a stand at one of our free careers fairs, so you can talk to them face to face.
If you think you’ve been scammed
- Stop contact and don’t send anything more.
- Shared bank details? Call your bank on 159 straight away. It connects you safely to most UK banks.
- Shared your passport? Report it to HM Passport Office so it can’t be used.
- Shared your driving licence? Contact the DVLA.
- Protect your identity with Cifas Protective Registration, which flags your name so lenders do extra checks.
- Report it to Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040, or Police Scotland on 101 if you’re in Scotland.
- Get free advice from JobsAware, the UK’s non-profit service for job seekers and workers.
- Found the job on our board? Use the “Something wrong with this listing?” link on the advert, or email info@ukcareersfair.com. We review every report and remove fake employers.
Questions
Is it normal to be sent to another website to apply?
Yes. Many genuine employers take applications on their own careers site or a recruitment platform such as Workday, Greenhouse, Workable, Breezy HR, Teamtailor, Jobtrain or NHS Jobs. Our checkpoint page tells you which one you’re going to. Be more careful with Google Forms and other form builders, and never upload ID through them.
When does an employer genuinely need my ID?
UK employers must check your right to work, but only once they intend to hire you, usually at or after interview. They’ll see your documents in person, or ask for a share code from the GOV.UK “prove your right to work” service. They don’t need photos of your passport sent by message.
What does “Verified exhibitor” mean on your Jobs Board?
It means the employer has booked a stand at one of our careers fairs, so we hold their booking details and know who they are. It isn’t an endorsement of every role, but it’s a strong sign you’re dealing with a real organisation, and you can meet them face to face at the fair.
How does the UK Careers Fair check employers?
Every new employer account is reviewed by a person before its listings go live. Accounts with warning signs, such as a brand-new website, a form-builder apply link or a high-risk role type, get a closer manual check. Anyone can report a listing, and we review every report.