Job offers that promise high earnings for minimal effort, such as “PLN 2,000 per week for 3 hours of remote work per day,” should raise red flags. They are often accompanied by phrases like “guaranteed income” or “legal work available immediately” — designed to lower the candidate’s guard and create a false sense of security.

Every business entity should be registered in official registries such as CEIDG, KRS, or KRAZ (in the case of employment agencies). It’s easy to verify: simply enter the company name from the job offer into your browser’s search bar along with the registry abbreviation. If the company is registered, the search results will include a page with the company’s details on the official registry website. Alternatively, you can visit the registry’s website directly and enter the company name in the search field. The absence of any information about the company or discrepancies in the data are warning signs.

Fake recruiters often impersonate reputable brands by illegally using their logos to appear more credible. If you have any doubts, it’s always a good idea to contact the company directly and ask whether the person is an authorized representative.

An increasingly common form of fraud involves sending fake job offers via SMS, messaging apps, or emails from unprofessional, free domains (e.g., @gmail.com). Pay attention to typos in domain names (e.g., @gmai1.com), random characters in the address, and unclear message content.

Scammers often pressure you to act quickly in order to block rational thinking and force a fast decision. If someone is urging you to make a quick choice – be cautious. This may be an attempt to manipulate you.

Potential employers or recruiters are increasingly reaching out to candidates through social media platforms like Facebook or LinkedIn. It’s important to verify whether the profile is genuine.

A legitimate company does not require any fees for participating in recruitment, purchasing training, telecom services, or opening accounts as part of the application process. Such demands are a typical warning sign.

The scam may involve asking candidates at an early stage of recruitment to provide full personal details, bank account numbers, or even scans of documents. These data can be used for identity theft, such as taking out loans in the victim’s name.

Dishonest “agencies” may instruct candidates to open bank accounts supposedly for salary payments. In reality, these accounts are used as tools to fraudulently claim referral bonuses or for financial crimes.

Clicking on links or attachments in suspicious messages can result in your device being infected. Cybercriminals may then gain access to your bank accounts or social media profiles.

There are scams where candidates unknowingly sign civil contracts for impossible tasks (e.g., writing 800 articles in 3 days). Failure to fulfill the contract results in financial penalties, which victims often do not challenge in court.

Use official registries like CEIDG, KRS, or KRAZ. Check how long the company has been operating, look for reviews, verify if the contact details are complete, and confirm that the registered address on the website matches the official records.

Any fees for “verification,” “training,” “application,” or “obtaining a work permit” are illegal and should be grounds for ending all contact.

A CV should include only basic contact information. Do not send scans of your ID or bank account numbers without thorough verification.

Consider creating a separate email address and phone number exclusively for recruitment purposes.

Check if the recruiter uses a company email address, if their profile looks professional, and whether they avoid sending suspicious links.

Check if the employer or recruiter has a current workplace linked to their profile and if the user information section is not empty. Also, examine the profile picture — you can upload it to an image search engine (e.g., Google Reverse Image Search) to make sure it hasn’t been stolen. Additionally, verify when the profile was created, how many connections it has, and whether the employment history is visible.

This way, you can be sure the job posting really comes from that specific agency, and not from an entity impersonating it.

Don’t sign anything without reading it first. If in doubt, consult the document with a lawyer or a career advisor.