Warning Signs to Avoid

We aim to establish a safe, accessible and professional connection between applicants and employers. While the purpose of online platforms like ours is to facilitate opportunities and do good, unfortunately there are people on the internet who try to scam users or defraud them on sites like ours. Our aim is to put a number of security measures in place to detect fraudulent behaviour and scams.

Before you start looking for a job on Patchwork Hub, we recommend that you familiarise yourself with the following warning signs. This will help you to recognise fraudulent tactics and protect your personal information. We also recommend reading Your security and potential threats to get familiar with different types of scams.

Do:

1. Check the company email address

Established businesses will usually have an email address that matches their domain. As a general rule, communications from such established companies should not come from publicly available email addresses (such as Gmail, Outlook or Yahoo). Make sure you also check that the email address doesn’t contain a misspelt or ‘spoofed’ company name.

2. Check the job offer

Confirm that employers who respond to your applications are actually offering you the job you applied for.

3. Too good to be true?

Be vigilant whenever a company offers a salary, perks and flexibility that seem too good to be true. Make sure you ask if the role has a fixed salary (rather than being "commission only"). Although you may be applying for a remote position, make sure to check if the company has a physical base for operations.

4. Check the hiring process

Be careful about any permanent job that is offered with little or no interview or application process. Scammers typically avoid face-to-face interactions while offering a remote position.

5. Contact Patchwork Hub immediately if you notice anything suspicious

We strive to protect our community of Patchworkers as best we can. Therefore, if you receive any suspicious messages or suspect fraudulent behaviour on a job post, please report them to us immediately so that we can continue to protect you.

Don’t:

We are committed to protecting your private data and financial well-being. These tips will help you avoid typical ‘employer scams’. If you encounter any of these behaviours from a potential user on Patchwork Hub, please report it to us immediately.

1. Never send any actual payment or payment forms to an employer.

We promote permanent job opportunities from which the Patchworker can acquire the job at no cost. No employer should request any type of payment, charge or a payment form when you apply for a job.

2. Never complete any financial transaction on behalf of a prospective employer.

No matter how good the job may sound, if an employer asks you to complete a financial transaction, it’s most likely a scam. Avoid any type of wire transfer, cashing cheques, or dealing with payments and purchases on someone else's behalf.

3. Do not agree to a job that requires you to open multiple bank accounts.

4. Do not pay for a DBS check unless you can verify its legitimacy.

Some employment scams get job seekers to pay for a DBS check. This could be an employment scam where unscrupulous individuals pose as hiring employers, requiring someone applying for work to pay for a DBS check. A DBS check also allows such individuals to collect sensitive information, like a copy of a National Insurance Number, passport, or bank details.

5. Do not agree to a job that requires you to post job ads on Patchwork Hub or other job search sites.

This could lead to you becoming involved in fraudulent activities that may put your finances and yourself in legal jeopardy.

6. Never accept money or any payment for work you have not yet performed.

This tactic is commonly used in scams. This may put you in legal or financial jeopardy.

If you’re suspicious of any message, job post or email, please contact us immediately. Please include the job post or email address attached to the post as the subject line, so that we can resolve it quickly.