"Your Resume Has Been Approved", But Did You Apply?
Quick Links:
- Dissecting The Statement: What Resume Are We Talking About
- Identifying Clear Red Flags In The Scenario
- Credible Steps To Prevent Falling Into The Trap
- Frequently Asked Questions
Dissecting The Statement: What Resume Are We Talking About
Have you received a call or message telling you,
"Hello. Your resume has been approved.
Please chat me on WhatsApp." ?
Let me guess, you are thinking,
"I did not apply for anything" .
If that's true, please understand that you are not alone in this encounter.
This is one of the common scams going around town right now.
It sounds harmless and professional, but it is a trap.
Alright, let's break it down together so you don't get caught in that web or fall for it.
First things first, just as your natural instincts ought to prompt you, ask yourself this: " What resume?"
Take a moment to think about it.
Did you recently apply to fill a job vacancy?
Did you send your CV to anybody or company?
Do you even know the name or status of the caller?
Most times the answer to those queries is a clear "No", and that's not surprising.
It's because scammers usually send such messages to thousands of people at once, as what you can classify as red herring.
It gets your attention fast. Everyone wants a job.
It makes you emotional, gives you false hope, excitement, and confuses you long enough to distract you from their actual goal.
As a matter of fact, they don't have anybody's resume, they are just hoping to snag someone who's desperately job-hunting.
Those are the ones whose hearts jump in false hope and who may dash over to Whatsapp to explore the possibility, whenever they hear the words "your resume has been approved".
However, here's a reality check:
If you didn't submit any application, how can there be an "approved" resume?
So what's the game-plan?
Of course, their goal is to get you away from a public platform and into a private chat. Chat environments like Whatsapp, Telegram, etc, seems to be their favorite choices.
What then happens once you chat with them on WhatsApp?
Let's find out together.
- They will tell you there's a job vacancy offering good pay and easy work
- They will ask you to pay a small fee for your registration, ID card, uniform, and training.
- They will request for your bank details, BVN, OTP, or photo of your ID
- They may send you a fake job offer letter to make the process look real
What are we saying here?
Every move is designed to get your money or personal information. As soon as they achieve that, they will disappear.
Identifying Clear Red Flags In The Scenario
Let's assume this is live and that at this very moment someone online is telling you that "Your resume has been approved".
How can you recognize the warning signs to help you back out?
Here are some scam telltale footprints you can spot quickly next time you receive such a call.
1st Red flag:
You just received unsolicited approval for a resume you never submitted.
Real companies don't give employment to people who didn't apply for it.
2nd Red flag:
You are asked to move to WhatsApp immediately. Real HR teams won't do that, but will normally contact you through official company email and phone numbers.
3rd Red flag:
If the message is sprinkled with poor grammar or uses shortened word-forms like "Pls" instead of "Please" , kick it.
4th Red flag:
When they refuse to tell you the name of the company they claim to represent, or their job description, or office address unless you chat them up, ditch them.
5th Red flag:
When they ask you for money upfront, that's warning.
Believe me, there's no legit company which asks you to pay them to get a job.
The bottom line is this: if you notice two or more of these signs during a call, cut it off.
Credible Steps To Prevent Falling Into The Trap
Given all of the above, how then can you protect yourself against such unsolicited "resume approvals"?
Here are some things you can do.
1. Refuse To Cooperate
Ignore them.
Do not reply and do not click any link anywhere.
2. Seek Clarifications Via SMS
If you simply can't ignore them because of curiosity, then you should ask them these three questions by SMS:
What company is this?
What is your official designation in that company? Where did you get my resume from?
Trust me, a bona fide recruiter will answer all your questions clearly, but a scammer most probably won't.
3. Resist Cross-Carpeting
You should never agree to move a conversation to Telegram or WhatsApp with a stranger.
Stick to email where there is a proper record.
4. Don't Pay For Anything
Remember this: you can never buy a legit job.
So, you should never send money, BVN, OTP, or ID card photos in order to secure a job.
That is not how legitimate hiring procedures work.
5. Investigate The Caller
Carry out due diligence.
You can do this by using these steps:
- google the company name plus careers.
- Call the official number on their website, not the number that was used to text you.
6. Conclusion
Ordinarily, for every applicant a resume being approved ought to be good news.
However, when the message is out of context, comes out of nowhere, and pushes you to chat via WhatsApp, it is not good news. Rather, it is a bait you must resist most intentionally.
Remember that real jobs won't force themselves in you or fabricate employment documentation for you.
Similarly, genuine recruiters will never ask you to pay money in order to give you a job.
Simple Self-Assessment Quiz
Can You Spot The "Resume Approved" Job Scam?
How to Use:
Read each question. Circle Yes or No.
Part 1: Red Flag Habits
If you circle Yes to any of these, that’s a habit to fix now.
1. Do I get excited about jobs that promise daily money for easy tasks? Yes / No
2. Do I trust a call or WhatsApp message just because it says "your resume is approved"? Yes / No
3. Do I join WhatsApp or Telegram groups sent by strangers for a job? Yes / No
4. Do I rush when someone says "pay now or the slot will close"? Yes / No
5. Do I share OTP, bank details, or ID for "job verification"? Yes / No
6. Do I keep the job offer secret because they told me to? Yes / No
Part 2: Green Flag Habits
The more Yes here, the safer you are.
1. Do I search the company name plus scam before I apply? Yes / No
2. Do I call the company using the number on their official website? Yes / No
3. Do I only apply through official job portals, not random links? Yes / No
4. Do I talk to someone I trust before paying for any job? Yes / No
5. Do I keep screenshots of chats, emails, and payment requests? Yes / No
How To Read Your Result:
Mostly Yes in Part 1 = Danger Zone
You have habits scammers look for. Slow down and start verifying everything.
Mostly Yes in Part 2 = Safe Zone
You’re protecting yourself well. Keep these habits.
Mix of Yes in both = Caution Zone
Pick 2 habits from Part 2 and start them this week.
Quick Fix Rule:
If you feel fear, pressure, or secrecy, stop.
Call someone. Verify first. Then act.
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