In support of International Fraud Awareness Week, Jobstreet by SEEK highlights how scammers are targeting jobseekers and reinforces its commitment to candidate safety.

As part of International Fraud Awareness Week (16–22 November 2025), Jobstreet by SEEK, Malaysia’s leading online employment marketplace, has spotlighted the rising complexity of job-related scams and reaffirmed its commitment to protecting jobseekers through continuous investment in fraud detection and candidate education.

While Malaysia records lower levels of fraudulent job activity on the Jobstreet platform compared to other regional markets, scams continue to surface in diverse and sophisticated forms — from fake recruiter impersonations and voice-phishing to deceptive “pay-to-apply” schemes. Messaging apps such as WhatsApp, Telegram and SMS remain the most common channels exploited by scammers posing as employers or Jobstreet representatives.

According to SEEK’s regional analysis of on-platform activity across Asia Pacific (July 2024–June 2025), Administration & Office Support remains the most targeted job category, accounting for 29% of fraudulent job ads in Asia, followed by Manufacturing, Transport & Logistics (16%) and Sales (7%) — roles that attract high applicant volumes and are easy for scammers to mimic.

Scams most prevalent in Malaysia

Digital fraud is on the rise in Malaysia. From fake investment opportunities and phishing to phone scams and even love scams, it is increasingly common for Malaysians to encounter malicious parties trying to access their personal data or receive funds. This includes fake job offers where victims are promised high-paying remote work and asked to pay “training” or “registration” fees. Then, the scammer disappears when they receive the payment. 

Emerging trends point to AI-driven fraud, including deepfake videos and voice imitation that blur the line between genuine and fake communications. In 2024 alone, the Royal Malaysia Police’s Commercial Crime Investigation Department recorded 35,368 scam cases resulting in RM 1.6 billion in losses, accounting for 84.5% of all commercial crimes. In 2024, scam calls nearly doubled year-on-year, to 2.98 million according to the Whoscall Annual Report 2024, the Malaysian Cyber Consumer Association (MCCA) warns that scams have escalated into a national crisis: 62% of victims report emotional stress and 47% experience an impact on their mental health.

“Fraudsters are becoming more sophisticated — they’re adapting their tactics to mirror legitimate hiring processes, exploiting jobseekers’ urgency to secure employment,” said Nicholas Lam, Managing Director at Jobstreet by SEEK in Malaysia. “Our priority is to safeguard every Malaysian jobseeker by ensuring the integrity of our platform. Through advanced fraud detection, hirer verification and ongoing education, we’re helping people stay alert and confident when pursuing opportunities online.”

Jobstreet by SEEK’s ongoing trust and safety measures

Across the region, SEEK’s Trust & Safety systems serve as the first line of defence from job scams. Between July 2024 and June 2025, SEEK’s platforms (including Jobstreet and Jobsdb) scanned 100% of over 4.3 million job ads, with 8% escalated for manual review. During this period, SEEK also:

  • Prevented approximately 3,600 hirers who failed the onboarding process from entering its platforms;
  • Closed 650 hirer accounts linked to fraud or high-risk behaviour; and
  • Removed nearly 2,800 high-risk job ads following investigation.


Beyond detection, Jobstreet by SEEK continues to empower candidates through its Security & Privacy Hub, which offers guidance on spotting fake job ads, avoiding scams and safely engaging with employers online. The platform also encourages jobseekers to report suspicious postings directly, enabling its specialist Trust & Safety team to take swift action.

“As Malaysia’s trusted employment marketplace, we play a vital role in building a fair and transparent job ecosystem,” Nicholas added. “We urge all Malaysians to remain vigilant — always verify the employer, never pay for a job or training opportunity and report anything that feels off. Together, we can help stop scams before they happen.”

How Malaysians can protect themselves

Jobstreet by SEEK urges jobseekers to stay vigilant with these practical steps:

  • Do not respond to suspicious job offers or unsolicited messages.
  • Verify the source through official company channels before engaging.
  • Report and block scam contacts; delete any messages immediately.
  • Stay informed of the latest scam tactics via trusted sources such as jangankenascam.com.
  • Never share confidential details such as bank information or identification numbers online.