In recent years, employees have increasingly expressed their desire to work from home. According to the US Career Institute, 95% of workers want some form of remote work, citing benefits like avoiding commutes, saving on gas and lunch costs, enjoying greater flexibility, and experiencing reduced stress.

However, scammers have used the opportunity to take advantage of others, often relying on AI to create job listings and recruitment communications that seem authentic. By learning to identify and react to the most common scams, employees and employers can continue to keep their data safe. 

Some work from home scams are more common than others. The following are the most commonly seen work from home scams.

Common Work From Home Scams 

1. Phishing Scams

One of the most common is a phishing scam. In this type of scam, an email is received that asks someone to follow a link. The link leads the user to a login screen that seems familiar. The screen often looks identical to Google or Microsoft logins.

In reality, it is an alternate website set up by a hacker to fraudulently collect login information. These scams are easily detectable if you check the URL. You can also use an email lookup to verify if it was sent by the company it claims to be.

2. Hiring Scams

Covid-19 has caused a shift in where people work. Reductions in hours have caused people to look for new jobs. Working from a distance also doesn’t suit many. Additionally, not every manager can effectively organize and lead from a distance. Some scammers are exploiting the rise of unemployment and job hunting.

They send fake invites to jobs with prestigious companies through email or even LinkedIn. These jobs are often claimed to be senior positions with generous compensation. A scammer will impersonate a recruiter and ask for application fees for this non-existent job.

3. Information Technology Scams

The Information Technology (IT) scam has similarities with phishing scams. In the case of an IT scam, an employee is contacted directly by someone who claims to be with the company’s IT department. Contact is made by either phone or email.

Once the scammer has made contact, the employee is told that their username and password are required for routine IT purposes. If the employee complies, the scammer gains access to sensitive company data.

Ways to Protect Yourself From Work from Home Scams

Scams can be hard to detect since fraud is built on taking advantage of others. There are ways to protect yourself from scams while working from home.

1. Email Blocking

Many companies have artificial intelligence software that can identify and block emails that are fraudulently structured. This includes certain phrases and email addresses that appear non-standard.

2.  Training

Staff needs ample training to detect scams. This training should include scam identification. Employees should know that under no circumstances should usernames and passwords be provided to others. Users should be trained not to click links on emails and identify abnormal requests for money.

3.  Encryption or Authentication

Many companies now use technology to fight fire with fire. This means having technology in place to silo the company’s data from the rest of the internet. User access is confined to certain geolocations, or two-factor authentication is required.

4.  Common Sense

In most cases, the best way to detect a scam is common sense. If something seems odd, it probably is. Employees and management should view emails from outside the company with healthy skepticism. Recognizing the scam is the first step in preventing a scam.

5. Using Email Lookup

Communication from outside the company should be verified through email search. Reverse search tools will identify which country an email is from, social media accounts, and the person’s name. These tools can help identify scammers and protect the organization from being affected.

6. REPORTING SCAMS

If you or your company have fallen victim to a scam, it is important to immediately report the issue. Contact local authorities and have a police report made for insurance purposes. Senior management needs to be advised as well as technology departments.

If the organization works quickly, minimal impact is made on the business operation. In some cases, customers will also need to be informed about potential breaches.

Final Takeaways

The increase in remote work has resulted in a surge of scams. Companies and employees can stay protected by improving their ability to identify common scams. Making use of available technology will also help maintain integrity.

Working from home is a beneficial shift that, at this stage, is prone to fraud. Ensure safe and stable working environments by employing these measures to ward off malicious scams.

About the Author: Emily Andrews is the marketing communications specialist at RecordsFinder, an online public records search company. Communications specialist by day and community volunteer at night, she believes in compassion and defending the defenseless.