Tips for jobseekers to avoid recruitment scams
Jakarta (ANTARA) – In the digital age, information is spread more quickly, easily and widely. Recruitment is one of the subjects that attracts the most public attention. However, the risk of falling victim to recruitment scams has also increased, with fraudsters even impersonating public figures and major companies to obtain victims’ personal data or money.
In response to the growing number of recruitment scams, PT Pegadaian Human Capital Director Tribuana Tunggadewi has shared advice to help jobseekers avoid being deceived by fake vacancies, particularly those falsely claiming to represent Pegadaian.
“Recruitment scams are becoming increasingly varied. One of the most common involves sending applicants an invitation to an interview at a Pegadaian office and requiring them to buy transport tickets or accommodation through a particular travel agency, with the promise of reimbursement. Another involves registering for an online interview through a video-conferencing app and asking applicants to transfer money. We emphasise that PT Pegadaian (Persero) never charges any fees during the selection process, has no partnerships with travel agencies and never makes accommodation costs the responsibility of applicants,” Dewi said.
Dewi added that jobseekers can find recruitment information through Pegadaian’s official channels: its website, pegadaian.co.id; PT Pegadaian’s LinkedIn page; and its Instagram account, pegadaian_id.
To stay safe while looking for work, candidates can follow these tips to identify and avoid fake recruitment:
Check the source of the information. Professional companies announce vacancies on their official websites and social media accounts. They also use official email domains, such as hrd@[companyname].co.id.
Ignore requests for money. Legitimate recruitment processes generally do not charge applicants. In some cases, scammers ask candidates to pay for flight or hotel reservations through fictitious travel agencies, promising reimbursement.
Look at the quality of the writing and materials. Interview invitations from professional companies are well written and detailed. Be wary of notices containing numerous typos, excessive exclamation marks or capital letters, blurry or poorly assembled documents, photographs showing uniforms that are no longer used, or suspicious logos—for example, outdated logos, incorrect colours or distorted proportions.
Research the company’s location and contact details. Scammers often use vague or fictitious office addresses. Verify the address using Google Maps and check the telephone number with a caller-identification app to see whether it is official or has been flagged as suspicious.
Do not be tempted by implausibly high salaries. Be cautious if a position offers pay far above the market average despite requiring little experience. Scammers often use large salary figures to lure victims into ignoring their better judgement.
Be wary of recruitment processes that move too quickly. Candidates at professional companies generally go through several selection stages, which may include an administrative screening, technical skills test, psychometric test, Leaderless Group Discussion (LGD), interview and medical examination, depending on the company’s needs.
Candidates should be alert to anything unusual in vacancy notices or recruitment processes to avoid falling victim to scams. Anyone seeking to verify suspicious recruitment information claiming to be from Pegadaian can contact the company’s official information and complaints channels: its call centre on 1500-569 or PEVITA on WhatsApp at 0811-1-1500569.