Fraudsters sometimes imitate Australian employers, recruiters or government departments to offer jobs and visas that do not exist. A convincing logo or professional-looking email is not proof that an offer is genuine.
Common warning signs
- A guaranteed job or visa without a proper interview or eligibility checks
- Pressure to pay quickly to reserve a position
- Requests to send money to an individual’s account
- Unverifiable business addresses or recruiter identities
- Email domains that differ from the employer’s official website
- Requests for passport scans or bank details before the employer is verified
How to check an employer
Find the company’s official website independently and call its published number. Look for the vacancy on its careers page. Where relevant, check business registration details using the Australian Business Register. Be aware that fraudsters can impersonate genuine registered businesses.
Check migration assistance credentials
Someone providing Australian immigration assistance may need to be a registered migration agent or another authorised person. Use the Office of the Migration Agents Registration Authority to check a claimed agent’s registration.
Know your employment rights
Australian sponsorship arrangements have rules about costs that employers must not recover from sponsored workers. Review Fair Work and Home Affairs guidance before agreeing to pay anyone.
If you suspect a scam
Stop payments, preserve messages and transaction records, contact your bank promptly, and report the incident through relevant official fraud-reporting channels. If your identity documents were shared, seek advice about protecting your identity.
Related reading
Read how to apply from overseas and our guide to genuine employer sponsorship.
General fraud-awareness information, not legal advice.
