With unemployment still high, and laid off workers getting desperate, there are more and more unscrupulous people out there trying to scam those simply looking for work. And they’re not operating on the fringes of the Internet. They’re right there on job boards, searching for vulnerable people to take advantage of. In addition, as these scammers are getting more and more sophisticated, it’s becoming harder and harder to tell between legitimate job openings and fake ones.

So what can you do to protect yourself and ensure you don’t get scammed? Here are some tips.

Don’t provide financial or sensitive personal information.

A Houston recruiter or a hiring manager will never require numbers like a bank account, a PayPal account, or credit cards just to apply for a job opening. Once you do get hired, you will have to provide your Social Security number for tax purposes and a bank account for direct deposit of your paycheck. But until you’re certain the company is legitimate, don’t give out this information.

Never agree to send money or to pay for services.

Some scammers try to pass themselves off as real Houston recruiters. But legitimate recruiters are paid by the employer, not by the candidate. So any request for money to be transferred or wired should raise a big red flag.

Ignore postings that say “no experience or skills” required.

Every legitimate job opening will require some level of skill, even if it’s an entry-level position. So be wary of positions that don’t require any education, experience, or skill level to qualify.

Evaluate email addresses.

Sometimes you can tell that an ad is a fake by the email address the scammer posts in it. These emails are typically from a free email site (ABCCompany@aol.com), rather than from a company address (MikeH@ABCCompany.com). You can also plug the email into a search engine and see what you come up with. Many times, there will be warnings posted from other job seekers not to reply to that specific email address because it’s a scam.

Get as much information as possible from the recruiter.

Scammers will be vague when it comes to the job opening. But legitimate Houston recruiters will provide you with detailed information about the employer and the position.

Do your homework.

If you’re still uncertain whether an employer or job opening is legitimate, check with the Federal Trade Commission or the Better Business Bureau.

The Internet is a great resource if you’re looking for job. Just be careful out there and keep in mind that if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. And if you’d like some additional help finding a job, please contact the Houston recruiters at Murry Resources.