Employers and Job Aspirants in India Face Increasing Phishing Attacks

Security experts at Internet security firm 'Symantec' have mentioned that phishing scams have been surging in India ever since the economic turmoil started, as scammers are targeting both online job-seekers and potential employers.

The security firm reveals that phishing attacks on Indian job portals are surging in the wake of increasing number of people hunting for jobs in India.

Symantec proved its point by taking the example of a phishing site that asks for the employer details, including his password, username, e-mail ID, etc, which are then used by scammers in sending targeted spam e-mails to the employees. The phishing website was allegedly developed on servers located in the Netherlands.

The spam e-mail asks the employer to pay a specified amount of money in order to upgrade/continue accessing particular recruitment solutions. The link given in the e-mail for this purpose directs the employer to a phishing webpage, where he is asked to provide his confidential information, such as pin number, credit card details, etc.

Apart from targeting employers, fraudsters also attack job seekers by masquerading as an employer and sending spam e-mails to them. These e-mails offer fake job opportunities to the job aspirants.

However, these scams could be evaded by following some simple tips. Firstly, never divulge any confidential personal/financial information, like password, username, credit card number, via e-mail. This is equally applicable to both employers and employees.

For job seekers, it is important to carefully analyze the contact details given in job ads or e-mails related to job - looking for spelling mistakes, an e-mail address without the name of the company and discrepancies related to area or zip codes. On the other hand, employers should check for flaws in job sites forwarding resumes of online job aspirants.

However, in case either of the employer or employee falls for the scam like that described by Symantec, he should close all his bank accounts as soon as possible. It is also be a better idea to permanently close all the e-mail addresses related to the job scam. Finally, the matter should immediately be brought into the notice of concerned authorities so that timely action could be taken.

Related article: Employees Pose Internal Risk in European Businesses

» SPAMfighter News - 4/8/2010