Fraud Alert: Beware of Fake Job Offers
We have recently become aware of an increase in fraudulent job offer scams targeting individuals via email and social media. These scams impersonate legitimate organisations, including the British Council, to deceive you into sharing personal or financial information.
Common Red Flags:
Be cautious if you encounter any of the following:
- You receive a job offer that you did not apply for.
- The offer includes an unusually high salary or unclear job responsibilities.
- The message is sent from a free email service (e.g. Gmail or Yahoo) rather than an official British Council domain or email address mismatch (e.g. councilbritish@gmail.com)
- You are asked to provide banking details, a passport or other ID early in the recruitment process.
- The message contains links or attachments instructing you to click or download.
- There's pressure to respond quickly or make an upfront payment.
How to Protect Yourself:
- Do not click on links or download attachments from suspicious job-related emails
- Verify any job offer directly with the British Council through official contact channels
- Never share personal or banking information unless you are certain the offer is genuine
- Report suspicious messages by emailing fraud@britishcouncil.org or visiting the British Council's confidential Speak Up service platform, NAVEX.
- If you have clicked on a suspicious link or shared sensitive information, contact your bank immediately.
Remember: The British Council will never ask for payment or sensitive personal information as part of a recruitment process. Stay alert and protect yourself from fraud.