Spotting Ghost Listings and Job Scams in Media Hiring

Job hunting means trusting strangers with your time and information. Most adverts are honest, but some are not, and others are simply out of date. This guide describes the signs of ghost listings and scams in media hiring in general terms, and explains how to check an employer. We do not claim statistics about how common either problem is.

What is a ghost listing

A ghost listing is an advert for a role that does not really exist, is already filled or is not being actively recruited. Reasons vary. An employer may be collecting applications for the future, may have forgotten to take the advert down or may be advertising for reasons that have nothing to do with hiring. The effect on candidates is the same: wasted effort and false hope.

• The advert has been up for a long time with no changes.
• The description is vague, with no clear duties or reporting line.
• There is no named contact, and no information about the process.
• The same listing appears repeatedly under slightly different titles.

Signs of a scam

Scams aim to get money, documents or access to your accounts. Warning signs include:

1. Requests for fees, deposits or equipment purchases before you start.
2. An offer with no interview, or an interview held entirely in a private messaging app.
3. Cheques or transfers sent to you with a request to forward part of the money.
4. Requests for copies of identification, bank details or passwords at an early stage.
5. Pressure to act quickly and warnings not to tell anyone.
6. Email addresses that do not match the employer's name.

No genuine employer will ask you to pay to be hired. If money flows toward the employer, stop. — a careers adviser for journalists

How to verify an employer

Do your own research. Search for the employer's name, look for a website with a history of published work and find the names of editors or producers. Look up the people who are contacting you on professional networks and confirm that they work where they say. Contact the employer through a phone number or email address that you find independently, not the one in the advert.

Protect your information

Share the minimum that is needed at each stage. Early on, a CV and a link to your work are enough. Hold back identification and bank details until you have a written offer from an employer you have verified. Use strong, unique passwords and be wary of attachments or links from unknown senders.

What to do if you suspect a problem

• Stop communicating and do not send money or documents.
• Keep copies of messages and the advert.
• Report the advert to the platform where you found it.
• If you have shared financial details, contact your bank promptly.
• Tell colleagues and friends in the field so they can be careful.

What NewsJob24 does and does not check

In this launch edition, every listing is a clearly labelled sample from a fictional employer, so there is nothing to apply for and no one will ask you for money. When real listings arrive, we plan to ask employers for evidence that they are genuine and to remove roles that are filled. That is a plan, not a guarantee, and you should still verify employers independently.

Staying safe when interviewing

Interviews are a good moment to verify the employer. Ask who you will meet, what the format is and how long it will take, and be cautious if the answers are evasive. Use a video call from a platform you recognise, and be wary of requests to install unfamiliar software. If you are asked to do a task, such as a writing test, check that it is reasonable in length and that you are not being asked to produce work that the employer will publish without payment. If anything makes you uncomfortable, pause and seek a second opinion before continuing.

What this guide cannot tell you

We cannot identify a specific scam for you, and the tactics change. If something feels wrong, it probably is. Trust your instincts, take time and ask someone you trust to look at the message.

The bottom line

Be curious, not fearful. Check the employer, protect your information and treat any request for money as a reason to stop. Reporters are trained to verify, and the same instincts will protect you as you look for work.