Over the past few years, we’ve seen a significant rise in internet fraud, phishing scams and other ‘traps’ that aim to trick victims into handing over money, providing sensitive information or even putting themselves in physical danger.
To help you stay safe when applying for your next nanny job, we’ve put together our top online safety tips for nannies:
- Be wary of WhatsApp – we’ve noticed a rising trend of scammers using WhatsApp to approach child care providers, particularly nannies. Legitimate parents and agencies will be happy to contact you via NannyJob or via email.
- Never pay for a background check – A lot of scammers are asking nannies to pay money upfront for a background/reference check. They’ll often send you the link to a website that appears to be an official Government site, but it is fake, the site is a front so that you enter your bank details which are then in the hands of the scammer.
- Don’t accept a job if you haven’t met your employer – For your own safety, you should always meet someone you’ve only spoken to online or over the phone at a very public place like a coffee shop or café. Legitimate parents will always want to meet and interview you before offering you a job.
- Be wary of potential employers who hide their phone number – A lot of genuine employers will want an initial phone call before meeting in person but be wary of taking calls from hidden numbers.
- Don’t fall for anything! If it seems too good to be true, it probably is.
Most importantly, trust yourself. If it doesn’t feel right to you or seems in any way suspicious, steer clear and report anything suspicious to us as quickly as possible. If you have any immediate concerns about your safety or the safety of a child, contact the police immediately by calling 999.