The internet is arguably one of the best man-made inventions. It is filled with life-enriching information portals, fun social platforms, great online job boards—and also multiple online job scams.

True life story; Isibor (not real name), who lives in Benin recounts, his ordeal. He applied for a job online and had received an SMS that he should come to Lagos for an interview. To make the trip from Benin, he borrowed money from his brother, risked his life on the notorious Benin-Lagos road, and lodged at a small hotel in Lagos to revise for the interview. Only to get to the venue and discover that it was not a job interview at all, it was a marketing seminar.

Isibor is not alone. Thousands of Nigerian job seekers have fallen for these unfortunate scams. Here are 9 ways you can detect a scam job.

1. Sneaky advertorial
Have you come across job adverts without a company name? Be careful! Why? Genuine companies seldom hide their names. On the rare occasions that they choose to do this, they either hire a known recruitment agency or they show you enough information to know they are serious.

From the job ad, identifying a scam job is pretty easy. You should look out for missing company names and unclear/vague job descriptions interspersed with obvious typographical & grammatical errors. Not having a company name does not mean the job is scam, but it should raise your suspicion.

2. Phoney contact details
If the job ad has a personal email (for example: adekunleadamu@hotmail.com) as the return address; it is most likely a scam job. A real company (like Apapa APM terminals: appapmtsia@apmterminals.com) will use a professional email address and not a personal mail. The same goes for phone numbers. Scam companies usually list personal phone numbers in their contact details.

3. Ridiculously low requirements
To be candid, not everybody can do a good job. Therefore, not everybody should be able to apply for some jobs.

How to identify a scam job: when you see a job requirement that reads, “Candidate must be 18 years of age and above, must be a citizen, must have internet access, must be able to work from home, no work experience needed, etc.” which means everybody can apply, it is most likely a scam job. A real job will always have some distinguishing criteria.

4. No online footprint
How to identify a scam job: use google. When in doubt about a potential scam job, call on Google, your friend. Real companies have websites, references from other websites, or press releases on other websites. Someone somewhere would have talked about the job or the company online. In any case, if it is a scam job you will likely find a Nairaland thread on the company or the job that will tell you if it is a scam job.

If the company or job has no digital footprint; don’t bother wasting resources. It is most likely a scam job.

5. You were contacted from the blue
You were notified that you have been shortlisted for a job aptitude test or “job briefing” without applying for the job. First and foremost, there is nothing like a job briefing. This term is mostly used by scam marketers who invite unsuspecting job seekers to unsolicited marketing sessions under the guise of an interview.

If any company invites you for an interview without applying, you have most likely identified a scam job. Yes, sometimes your CV gets into the hands of companies you do not remember applying for a job at, but those rare times, make sure you make use of at least tip No. 4 before you dive in.

6. You were contacted via SMS
Real companies do not send interview invitations as SMSs. And even on rare occasions when they do, such an SMS will always be accompanied by an email. If this does not happen in your case, it is likely that the job is a scam job.

(There are still more points.
Read on, engage with, and lend your voice to people's comments on http://www.insidify.com/discovery/how-to-know-if-that-job-offer-is-a-scam#comments to complete this enlightening and insightful article.) #Insidify

A real firm that could possibly offer you employment won't send you an invite for interview fixed for the following day after you applied. Companies do give at least two days to get ready or prepare for the interview so that you can find all there is to know about the firm