Employment scams continue to evolve across the Asia-Pacific region, and Filipino job seekers—especially parents supporting their families—ar...
Employment scams continue to evolve across the Asia-Pacific region, and Filipino job seekers—especially parents supporting their families—are among the most affected. In line with International Fraud Awareness Week, SEEK, the parent company of Jobstreet and JobsDB, released new insights showing how scammers are adapting to economic conditions and targeting vulnerable industries. For many Filipino moms looking for stable and safe work opportunities, these findings serve as a timely reminder to stay cautious when searching online.
Jobstreet by SEEK Reports New Trends in Employment Fraud Across APAC
SEEK’s latest analysis reveals that the Philippines is the second-most targeted country for employment fraud, accounting for 20 percent of attempts across APAC. Indonesia remains the top hotspot with 38 percent. The findings are based on fraud detection data gathered from July 2024 to June 2025 across all SEEK platforms in Asia and ANZ, including Jobstreet and JobsDB.
Fraud activity varies across regions, with scammers focusing heavily on roles that are easy to imitate and highly in demand. In Asia, Administration and Office Support jobs make up 29 percent of fraudulent postings, while Manufacturing, Transport, and Logistics roles account for 16 percent. Sales positions are also frequently targeted. These are the same roles that many Filipino parents—especially moms—consider when looking for stable employment with flexible or immediate start options.
In the Philippines, the industries most commonly targeted by scammers include Accounting, Sales, Healthcare and Medical, Administration and Office Support, Manufacturing, Transportation, and Logistics.
Why These Job Categories Are Frequently Targeted
According to Tom Rhind, SEEK's Head of Trust and Safety, roles that appeal to job seekers urgently looking for work are most vulnerable. Administration and sales positions often promise fast hiring and commission-based income, making them easy vehicles for fraudsters to imitate. Because many of these jobs do not require specialized degrees, scammers use them to cast wider nets—making moms, fresh graduates, and career shifters more susceptible.
How Jobstreet by SEEK Helps Protect Job Seekers
As a leading employment marketplace in the Philippines, Jobstreet by SEEK uses multiple layers of protection to keep the job search experience safe. SEEK’s Trust and Safety team screens millions of job ads across the region, using both automated systems and manual checks. Out of 4.3 million APAC job ads, 8 percent were escalated for further verification.
These security measures have blocked around 3,600 hirers who failed legitimacy checks, closed 650 accounts for fraudulent or high-risk behavior, and removed almost 2,800 suspicious ads. Job seekers themselves reported around 22,000 questionable postings, all reviewed by the Trust and Safety team.
Fraud tactics are also rapidly advancing as scammers now use AI to create convincing ads or impersonate Jobstreet and SEEK using SMS and messaging apps. In the Philippines, Viber is among the most commonly used platforms for these scams. To counter this, Jobstreet by SEEK continuously improves automated blocking, strengthens verification, and collaborates with partners in government and industry. Through its Security and Privacy Hub, the company also educates candidates about unfair hiring practices, online safety, and safe job search habits.
Jobstreet by SEEK Managing Director in the Philippines, Dannah Majaracon, emphasized the company’s commitment to maintaining a safe and trusted space for hirers and job seekers. She encourages the public to always use legitimate job platforms to ensure that every opportunity leads to real, secure employment.
For more information, visit Jobstreet Philippines on Facebook or YouTube, or go to ph.employer.seek.com.
FAQs About Employment Fraud in the Philippines
Q: Why is the Philippines heavily targeted by job scammers?
A: The country has a large online job-seeking population, and many roles in demand do not require specialized degrees. This creates a bigger pool of potential victims for scammers who imitate entry-level or urgent-hiring job postings.
Q: What job categories are most commonly used in employment scams?
A: Administration and Office Support, Sales, Accounting, Manufacturing, Healthcare, Transportation, and Logistics are among the top targeted categories.
Q: How can I tell if a job posting is suspicious?
A: Watch out for offers that sound too good to be true, requests for upfront payments, interviews conducted on messaging apps instead of official platforms, or recruiters who cannot verify their company details.
Q: What should Filipino moms and job seekers do to stay safe?
A: Always verify the company, apply only through trusted job platforms like Jobstreet by SEEK, and report suspicious postings immediately.
Q: Are scammers using AI now?
A: Yes. Fraudsters are using AI tools to create more realistic job ads, fake recruiter profiles, and messages that look legitimate, making vigilance more important than ever.
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