People are being warned that scammers are posing as employers and recruiters to trick jobseekers into handing over money and personal details.
The alert comes after a website was found displaying adverts for jobs with us
The site carried listings for an assortment of jobs, including many past their closing date. Anyone clicking on an advert was invited to upload their CV and provide personal information.
Executive member for managing our environment, Cllr Richard Foster, whose responsibilities include trading standards, said: “Scams of this kind are often designed to gather data for identity theft and fraud, with details sometimes sold on for further criminal use.
“Our advice is simple – never upload personal information, such as your name, date of birth or contact details, to an unfamiliar or unverified website, and be especially cautious about sharing sensitive data such as bank or National Insurance details.
“If you believe you may have shared information with a suspicious site, contact your bank immediately, change your passwords, and consider using more secure sign-in methods, such as passkeys, where available.”
Fraudulent job offers can appear highly convincing, often impersonating well-known organisations or advertising roles that do not exist.
Scammers may also pose as recruitment agents, advertising jobs on behalf of employers without authorisation – or entirely inventing roles – to obtain personal details.
To help tackle this growing issue, residents are being encouraged to use JobsAware – Protecting Worker Rights, a national service supported by the Government, which provides advice and a platform to report suspicious activity.
Anyone who believes they have been targeted, or has lost money through a recruitment scam, is strongly encouraged to report it via the national fraud reporting service.
We do not use recruitment agencies to fill permanent roles, and all vacancies are advertised directly on our website. Anyone interested in working for us is encouraged to visit our jobs page, where they can also sign up for job alerts to receive tailored opportunities straight to their inbox.
Our head of resourcing solutions, Sarah France-Gorton, said: “We want residents to be able to access employment opportunities safely and with confidence.
“Recruitment scams can have serious financial and emotional impacts, so its important people know how to spot the warning signs and where to find legitimate vacancies.
“North Yorkshire continues to have a strong labour market, with unemployment levels significantly lower than the national average.
“The vast majority of employers are legitimate and offer genuine opportunities. We would encourage anyone looking for work not to be deterred, but to take simple precautions, check employers carefully and report anything that seems suspicious.”
Report phishing websites to the National Cyber Security Centre and job scams can be reported to Jobs Aware.