Job Scams

What's a job scam?

Job scammers typically contact you via email, phone or letter and ask for money in the form of a fee in exchange for guaranteed employment.

They lure you in with jobs that require little effort for a high financial reward, and that appear to make money quickly.

Once you pay the fee you may not receive any job offers or are unlikely to be paid for any work you complete.

Photo of hands at laptop with a credit card

How to avoid being scammed

How a job scam works

The scammer contacts you by email, phone or letter and offers you a job that requires minimal effort for a high salary, or a guaranteed way to make money fast
Legitimate job sites may also unintentionally post scam job ads
You may be told that to secure the job you must make an initial investment or pay for resources. You’ll unlikely receive anything in exchange for your payment
You may be tricked into committing a criminal offence, such as money laundering. You’ll be asked to provide your bank account details to receive a payment. You will then be asked to transfer the money received to another account and be promised a percentage of this amount as a commission

Protect yourself

Be wary of job offers via email, phone or letter from people you haven’t met or companies you don’t know
Be alert when looking on legitimate job sites as they can also post bogus employment vacancies
Be cautious of 'work from home' opportunities, particularly those that offer a 'guaranteed income' or require you to make a payment in exchange for work
Do some research on the company offering the role to ensure they are legitimate and currently trading
Be suspicious if the role is offered to you without an interview, or at least a discussion about your experience and suitability
Speak to your friends and family to get their opinion on your potential job offer. They can help identify any signs of risk and red flags

Been scammed? What next?

Get in touch

If you (or someone you know) is a CommBank customer and has been targeted or lost money as a result of being scammed, call us immediately 24/7 on 13 2221.

Report it

Report the scam via the Australian Cyber Security Centre. Reports may be referred to the police for possible investigation.

Take control and stay protected

Change your passwords and PINs straight away if you suspect your security has been compromised. Change these regularly as a preventative measure.

Seek support

Contact IDCARE on 1300 432 273 or via www.idcare.org. IDCARE is a free, Government-funded service that provides support to victims of identity crime.

Visit the ScamWatch website for more information on scams.

12th - 16th August 2019

Scammers are getting smarter, and anyone could be a target. From Monday 12th to Friday 16th August, we are putting the spotlight on scams – see the latest scams going around, and how to spot, avoid and report them.

Learn how to protect yourself from scams.