Jobseeker Help Centre

How to verify suspicious employer communication

Quick summary

Employers might contact you on Indeed about job opportunities. It's important to make sure that these messages are from real people about real positions. Unsure about a message you received? This page covers what to do.

Important: This article is for general information. It may not cover everything.

Best practices

Be mindful of suspicious activity when talking to employers on various platforms. Here are some ways to do this.

Verify the employer's email

Most real employers use a work email (not Gmail, Yahoo or other personal accounts).

Make sure:

  • the company name is in the email address
  • the name is spelt correctly
  • there are no extra letters or strange changes

Scammers often create fake email addresses that look very similar to real ones. Watch for small spelling changes or extra characters in the company name.

Research the employer online

  • Search for the company's website
  • Find a physical address or phone number
  • Check whether they have social media accounts

Communicate through official channels

  • Face-to-face meetings
  • Phone or video calls
  • Emails (from an official company domain)

Don't share your personal information

Be careful if someone asks for your:

  • driving licence
  • credit reports
  • bank details
  • National Insurance information
Important: never send this info before you've talked to someone on the phone or in person.

Pay attention to the employer's choice of words

The message might be a scam if it has lots of:

  • grammar mistakes
  • spelling errors
  • unusual words

Also, be careful if:

  • the job offer sounds too good to be true
  • they make promises that don't feel real

Next steps

Still unsure if a message is real? Or do you think you might have been scammed? Here are some articles that might help:

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