Warning: Impersonating ProTech Scam

Edit: 07/06/2023 - We are now aware that several different names are used in this WhatsApp scam including some numbers that appear to be from the UK. If you are unsure of a correspondence please contact us first - but if you are in any doubt, block the number and desist communication. 

We were recently horrified to have our companies name used in an attempted WhatsApp scam . The scammer created a fake business card for ProTech Recruitment, complete with the correct physical and web address. Though the email address used was wrong, as well as fabricating the name of a fictitious person who allegedly 'worked' for ProTech, it was a clear attempt to use ProTech’s name and reputation to try and hoodwink unsuspecting job-seekers.

The scam involved trying to get the candidate to sign up to a crypto wallet where we believe that eventually the scammer would attempt to get the jobseeker to make a payment of some sort to apply for a job.

Fortunately, due to frequent use of poor grammar (as is often the case), the several targets of the scammer realized that all was not as it seemed and contacted us to double check the veracity of this individual and their claims. We were able to confirm that a scammer was attempting to impersonate us and the job-seeker should immediately block the scammers number.

ProTech Recruitment will never charge their candidates for any consultation, advice, or placement into a new job role; there are regulations in place which legislate that “Agencies can’t charge job seekers for finding them work” unless you are operating within very specific markets such as professional sports. ProTech works for free with the candidates it places and derives its income from companies who have taken on candidates who have gone through a successful interview process.

Should you ever receive any communication from someone purporting to be from ProTech and wish to verify it, feel free to contact us on our official lines of communication and we will confirm if the person you are dealing with is legitimate or not. Better to be safe than sorry.

Due to the nature of scams, there is little we can do to prevent people downloading our branding to try and fool people but we can offer the following advice.

How to spot an online scam?

 

Recognise the signs someone is trying to scam you, and learn how to check if a message you have received is genuine.

Cyber criminals could contact you via email, text, social media or a phone call. They will often pretend to be a person or an organisation you trust. While some scams like the one mentioned above are easy to spot due to bad spelling or grammar, scams are getting smarter and some even fool the experts.

Scammers aim to quickly gain your trust and then pressure you into acting without thinking. If a message or call makes you feel suspicious, stop, break the contact and consider the language it uses. Scams often feature one or more of the following tell-tale signs.

        Authority – Criminals often pretend to be important people or organisations to trick you into doing what they want.

        Urgency – Do the communications suggest you have a limited amount of time to respond (such as ‘within 24 hours’ or ‘immediately’)?

        Scarcity – Fear of missing out on a good deal or opportunity can make you respond quickly.

If you have any doubts about a message whatsoever – contact the organisation directly to confirm. Don’t use the numbers or address in the message – use the details from the official website.