The ACCC has warned that Australians looking for work were cheated out of over $8.7 million last year through online recruitment scams.

The commission is warning young people to beware of job offers made through social media platforms or services such as WhatsApp.

“Thousands of young Australians have finished school and graduated from university, with high-hopes about their future careers and the intention to look for work in the new year,” ACCC Deputy Chair Delia Rickard said.

“Unfortunately, they are being targeted by scammers. We know younger people are particularly vulnerable, with Australians aged between 25 and 44 reporting the biggest losses to job scams.”

There were over 3,194 reported job scams last year, with many of these offers appearing too good to be true.

“If you are job hunting and you are offered work that requires little effort for a big financial reward it is most likely a scam,” Rickard explains.

“This might include repeatedly clicking a button on a website or app to purchase products or submit reviews.”

These scammers operate by asking for a one-off payment, in exchange for regular, paying work, and offer impersonate known recruitment agencies.

“In the final months of 2022, we saw a significant uptick in reports and losses associated with recruitment scams and we are concerned these scammers will continue to ramp up their efforts as people look for work the new year,” Rickard said.

“With many Australians looking to make the most of a highly competitive job market, we are urging jobseekers to be wary of opportunities that seem too good to be true.

“Never make a payment or upfront investment to secure a job. If you think you’ve been scammed, contact your bank or financial institution immediately.”