How thousands of Aussies were scammed by this Kmart text message
- Replies 6
While we know most of you don't need to re-enter the job market, maybe some of you are looking for casual part-time work to supplement your pension. This is why it's still worth keeping an eye on what's going on when it comes to employment opportunities in Australia.
And as unfortunate as it is, scams are becoming increasingly common in today's world. Not only do we have to look out for online banking scams, but now we also have to stay vigilant against this newest Kmart job scam that has been recently uncovered.
Jobseekers are being told to steer clear of sudden job offers after Scamwatch warned consumers about a new Kmart recruitment scam going around.
Authorities said the scam message could come via social media or online messaging apps such as Whatsapp. These texts tended to claim that there’s easy profit up for grabs or upfront payment for repetitive tasks such as buying products or submitting reviews.
Scamwatch figures revealed Australians lost more than $8.7 million to recruitment scams last year.
Kmart previously shared that they were aware of the fake job ads circulating the internet and had been reporting the scams since then. The retailer also advised that anyone unsure of whether a job ad is legitimate or not should reach out to Kmart’s recruitment team and reminded everyone that vacant positions are advertised through this link.
‘Interested applicants should not give any personal information to any other platform or any email that doesn’t end in @kmart.com.au,’ they said.
Scammers often pretend to hire on behalf of high-profile companies and online-shopping platforms and impersonate well-known recruitment agencies. Some fake jobs include hotel promoters and sales partners.
This comes after reports that a 67-year-old man became an unfortunate victim of a jobseeker scam. According to the man, he wanted extra income, that’s why he took the fake job, but this ended up ‘destroying him financially’.
The job advertisement was posted on Facebook, and he applied for it and was contacted on WhatsApp. In a span of five days, the man said he was scammed out of $28,000. You can read more details about his story here.
In a statement released earlier this year, ACCC Deputy Chair Delia Rickard said: ‘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. This might include repeatedly clicking a button on a website or app to purchase products or submit reviews.’
Ms Rickard added that in the final months of 2022, the consumer watchdog saw a ‘significant uptick’ in reports and losses associated with recruitment scams.
‘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,’ she warned.
In a similar instance, the scammers are impersonating hardware store Bunnings. The scam copied the brand logo of Bunnings to make it look legitimate and promised high hourly rates of $48 to $65 for full-time and part-time positions that can be done from home.
They also said that jobseekers could do the work just using their mobile phones and don’t need any experience. If applicants decide to ‘apply’, they will be sent to a separate website that doesn’t belong to the company and will be asked to provide personal information and bank details.
Bunnings managing director Mike Schneider previously said that the company was working with Facebook to have the fake ads taken down.
‘Bunnings places a lot of time and effort into recruiting our amazing team, and we are in no way associated with the scam material,’ he explained.
Mr Schneider added: ‘We don’t ask for personal information, or banking details, in unsolicited communications.’
Scamwatch gave a final word of caution to jobseekers across the country: ‘Don’t be pressured to act quickly. A legitimate offer will not require you to make an immediate decision. Know who you are dealing with. Research the recruiter and the business or individual offering the position. Contact the recruitment agency via phone numbers sourced from an independent internet search.’
Do you have tips for staying safe online, especially while job hunting? Have you come across any similar scams? Please let us know in the comments below!
And as unfortunate as it is, scams are becoming increasingly common in today's world. Not only do we have to look out for online banking scams, but now we also have to stay vigilant against this newest Kmart job scam that has been recently uncovered.
Jobseekers are being told to steer clear of sudden job offers after Scamwatch warned consumers about a new Kmart recruitment scam going around.
Authorities said the scam message could come via social media or online messaging apps such as Whatsapp. These texts tended to claim that there’s easy profit up for grabs or upfront payment for repetitive tasks such as buying products or submitting reviews.
Scamwatch figures revealed Australians lost more than $8.7 million to recruitment scams last year.
Kmart previously shared that they were aware of the fake job ads circulating the internet and had been reporting the scams since then. The retailer also advised that anyone unsure of whether a job ad is legitimate or not should reach out to Kmart’s recruitment team and reminded everyone that vacant positions are advertised through this link.
‘Interested applicants should not give any personal information to any other platform or any email that doesn’t end in @kmart.com.au,’ they said.
Scammers often pretend to hire on behalf of high-profile companies and online-shopping platforms and impersonate well-known recruitment agencies. Some fake jobs include hotel promoters and sales partners.
This comes after reports that a 67-year-old man became an unfortunate victim of a jobseeker scam. According to the man, he wanted extra income, that’s why he took the fake job, but this ended up ‘destroying him financially’.
The job advertisement was posted on Facebook, and he applied for it and was contacted on WhatsApp. In a span of five days, the man said he was scammed out of $28,000. You can read more details about his story here.
In a statement released earlier this year, ACCC Deputy Chair Delia Rickard said: ‘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. This might include repeatedly clicking a button on a website or app to purchase products or submit reviews.’
Remember these tips. Credit: The Seniors Discount Club
Ms Rickard added that in the final months of 2022, the consumer watchdog saw a ‘significant uptick’ in reports and losses associated with recruitment scams.
‘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,’ she warned.
In a similar instance, the scammers are impersonating hardware store Bunnings. The scam copied the brand logo of Bunnings to make it look legitimate and promised high hourly rates of $48 to $65 for full-time and part-time positions that can be done from home.
They also said that jobseekers could do the work just using their mobile phones and don’t need any experience. If applicants decide to ‘apply’, they will be sent to a separate website that doesn’t belong to the company and will be asked to provide personal information and bank details.
The ‘job ad’ from Bunnings promises high hourly rates. Credit: Bunnings
Bunnings managing director Mike Schneider previously said that the company was working with Facebook to have the fake ads taken down.
‘Bunnings places a lot of time and effort into recruiting our amazing team, and we are in no way associated with the scam material,’ he explained.
Mr Schneider added: ‘We don’t ask for personal information, or banking details, in unsolicited communications.’
Scamwatch gave a final word of caution to jobseekers across the country: ‘Don’t be pressured to act quickly. A legitimate offer will not require you to make an immediate decision. Know who you are dealing with. Research the recruiter and the business or individual offering the position. Contact the recruitment agency via phone numbers sourced from an independent internet search.’
Last edited:
.png){kind=icon}
