When a job ad is actually a scam

Back in 2014, I was delivering employment support to people with manageable disabilities. One of my clients — let’s call her Jan — popped into my office beaming.

She had a callback for an admin job that I helped her with.

Only… it wasn’t an interview. It was a sales pitch.

The “recruiter” told her she wasn’t successful but could absolutely land it next time — if she did a Diploma of Business.

Through them, of course.

No upfront cost.

Just sign here.

We’ll enrol you now.

Easy as.

Spoiler: It wasn’t a job lead. It was a debt trap.

She was 60. Had a background in aged care. Was rebuilding her career after a back injury. And was only just starting to get confident using a computer.

But that didn’t stop Franklyn Scholar from enrolling her on the spot — no skills check, no LLN assessment, nothing. Just a signature and a HELP debt she didn’t even know she’d signed up for.

Luckily, she told me straight away.

I helped her cancel under the cooling-off period. But not everyone is that lucky.

Fast forward to now, and I see Nikola’s story — where a single phone call landed her with a $36,000 HELP debt.

And it makes me mad all over again.

Honestly? She was catfished. And so was my client.

So why am I telling you this?

Because even though you — my brilliant, mid-career newsletter reader — probably wouldn’t fall for this exact scam, the vibe of it is still very much alive:

• Courses dressed up as job offers
• Unpaid “internships” that look like employment
• AI job boards that scrape your data but never call you back
• “Upskilling” ads that push you into debt without a career outcome

It’s still happening. Just with fancier language and better branding.

My advice?

If it looks like a shortcut to your dream job, it’s probably a detour to someone else’s bonus.

• Be suspicious of any job ad that funnels you into a course
• Always check if the training provider is independent from the recruiter
• And if anyone says, “Sign here, you can start today, no cost to you,” pause. Google. Breathe. Talk to someone who isn’t on commission.

This isn’t just about dodgy training providers.

It’s about knowing the difference between an opportunity and being the opportunity.

Don’t let your career be someone else’s payday.

~Lisa

Your Q&A

Legit company or a scam?

Hi Lisa,

What advice do you have for checking out whether a company is legitimate? A company posted a job on LinkedIn and their initial response gave me major red flags. My suspicion is that it’s a straight commission role.

—Elizabeth

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Hi Elizabeth,

Let’s clear something up: there’s a difference between a company being legitimate and a company being worth your time.

They can have an ABN, a fancy website, and even a shiny office door—but still be flogging commission-only roles that involve selling overpriced tech packages to your aunty.

So, here’s how you separate the real deal from the recruiters with motivational quotes in their email signatures:

Google the company name + “scam” or “review”. If the first result is from ASIC’s scam alert list or a Reddit thread titled “RUN,” that’s your answer.

Jump on LinkedIn. Do they have real people working there, or just ghost profiles and company posts with zero engagement?

Search for their ABN or ACN on ASIC. It’s free. It’s boring. It works.

Trust your gut. If the job sounds vague, if there’s no mention of base salary, or if they’re pushing urgency over clarity—then it’s probably one of those roles.

If it smells like a red flag, walks like a red flag, and the recruiter says things like “unlimited earning potential” without blinking… you already have your answer.

There are better jobs out there—and none of them involve signing up your friends to sell LED lightbulbs.

Thanks for Reading.

~Lisa​