Recruitment fraud: How to recognise and avoid recruitment scams

Unfortunately, recruitment scams are becoming increasingly common – with fraudsters posing as legitimate recruiters or companies to trick job seekers into sharing personal or financial information. 

At Interval Group, we’re committed to protecting candidates and maintaining transparency throughout the recruitment process. This guide explains how to spot a recruitment scam, what to do if you’re targeted and how to search for jobs safely. 

What is recruitment fraud? 

Recruitment fraud occurs when someone impersonates a recruiter or hiring company to advertise a job that doesn’t exist. These scams often look convincing – using real company names, logos and even genuine job descriptions to appear legitimate. 

Fraudsters may contact you via email, social media, text or messaging platforms such as WhatsApp or Telegram. Their goal is to gather sensitive information or money by pretending to offer a genuine opportunity. 

Important: Interval will never ask you for payment, personal banking details or to complete your application via an instant messaging platform. 

How to spot a recruitment scam 

Recruitment scams can be sophisticated, but there are common warning signs to watch for. Be cautious if: 

• You are asked to pay any type of fee (for example, “administration”, “security” or “accreditation” costs). 

• The communication contains poor spelling, grammar or formatting errors. 

• The job description is vague, generic or poorly written. 

• Emails come from personal or free domains (such as Gmail, Yahoo or Hotmail). 

• You’re asked for unnecessary personal documentation early in the process. 

• You’re offered a role immediately, without any screening or interview process. 

• The salary or benefits seem unrealistically high for the position. 

• If something doesn’t feel right, take a moment to verify the source before sharing any information. 

How to check if a website or email genuinely belongs to Interval 

Fraudsters often try to impersonate a real company or its staff, taking advantage of the brand’s existing content and reputation. Here’s how to confirm whether what you’re seeing is authentic: 

• Domain: Our official website is intervalgroup.com. Fraudsters may attempt to imitate it using similar domains such as “intervlgroup.com” or “intervalgroup.net”. Look for misspellings, unusual domain endings (.info, .biz) or extra characters. If you’re ever unsure about a link, go directly to www.intervalgroup.com and navigate from there to find the genuine content you’re looking for (for example, a job opening or our contact details). 

• Secure connection (HTTPS): Interval websites use HTTPS and display a padlock icon in the browser address bar. Click the padlock to view the certificate details. 

• About us: Our official website www.intervalgroup.com has our contact, location and team information, as well as links to verified social profiles, such as the company’s LinkedIn page. 

• Emails: Interval email addresses end in @intervalgroup.com (for example, jsmith@intervalgroup.com). If you receive an email in a different format or from an unfamiliar domain, don’t reply until you’ve verified the sender. 

• In general: If you receive a message or offer that looks too good to be true, it probably is. 

What to do if you suspect a scam 

• If you believe someone is impersonating Interval or another recruitment business: 

• Do not respond to the message or share any further details. 

• Take screenshots or make a note of any contact information, job titles or email addresses used. 

• Report the incident to the relevant authority: 

• UK: Action Fraud – the national reporting centre for fraud and cybercrime. 

• Ireland: Garda National Economic Crime Bureau or contact your local Garda station. 

• EU: Europol – Report Cybercrime or your national police service. 

• Notify Interval via our contact form or email hello@intervalgroup.com so we can take action if our brand has been misused. 

• If you’ve already shared financial information, contact your bank immediately to report the fraud. 

Staying safe when searching for jobs 

At Interval Group, we take your privacy and security seriously. To protect yourself: 

Only apply for roles through verified job boards or directly via our official website at intervalgroup.com. 

Be wary of anyone offering guaranteed employment or requesting payment. 

Never share personal financial details with someone you don’t know. 

Report anything suspicious to us as soon as possible. We will never: 

• Request payment or bank details at any stage of your application. 

• Conduct interviews via instant messaging apps. 

• Make job offers without a screening or interview process. 

• Your safety is our priority. If you’re ever unsure about a job posting or communication claiming to be from Interval Group, please get in touch with us before responding.