1 in 3 Singapore Jobseekers Tricked by Scams, Reeracoen Survey Warns as Digital Hiring Surges

New findings highlight growing urgency for digital hiring safeguards as trust in recruiters and job sites declines

SINGAPORE, May 19, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Amid one of Asia's most digitally advanced labour markets, a new survey by Reeracoen Singapore, in collaboration with Rakuten Insight Global, reveals that 35% of jobseekers in Singapore encountered job scams in the past year, with over half of them targeted more than once.

This worrying trend comes amid a national surge in scams. According to the Singapore Police Force, scam cases rose by 46.8% in 2023, with job scams alone costing victims more than S$20 million. Despite Singapore's strong governance and advanced recruitment platforms, digital fraud continues to outpace safeguards.

"As AI continues to evolve, it's becoming harder to tell what's real and what's a scam — especially in digital hiring. This is no longer just a tech problem; it's a human one," said Kenji Naito, Group CEO of Reeracoen Group. "The value of human involvement and verified interactions is becoming even more important. We must build hiring ecosystems where people feel safe and trust comes by default."

Jobseekers Losing Faith in Trusted Platforms

The survey found that fraudsters are exploiting legitimate-looking platforms and impersonating recruiters to target tech-savvy candidates. Among the top job search channels are online job portals and company websites, but even these are being misused by bad actors. In response, 79% of jobseekers said they are highly concerned about scam risks and 40% reported declining trust in recruitment platforms and agencies due to scam exposure.

The most common red flags include requests for upfront fees or personal information and suspiciously high salariespaired with minimal job requirements.

"Even in Singapore's trusted hiring environment, jobseekers are feeling the impact of impersonation scams," said Shoichi Sunaga, Branch Manager, Reeracoen Singapore. "Verified listings, stronger employer branding, and human-led screening are no longer optional – they're essential."

Jobseekers Call for Platform Accountability

Respondents identified the following as top measures they want from job platforms and recruiters:

• Stricter screening of job postings
• Verified employer and recruiter accounts
• Real-time user reporting systems for suspicious ads
• Collaboration with government agencies for enforcement

Notably, only 1 in 5 respondents said they would pay for additional scam protection, reinforcing the expectation that safety should be a built-in standard, not a premium add-on.

Industry-Wide Call to Action

To address these concerns, the report offers strategic recommendations for employers, platforms, and regulators seeking to strengthen digital hiring integrity:

• Deploy verification badge systems to deter impersonation
• Implement AI-powered screening tools to detect and block fraudulent job postings
• Enhance collaboration with regulatory bodies like the Ministry of Manpower and Infocomm Media Development Authority on cross-platform enforcement
• Run public awareness campaigns to educate jobseekers on red flags and reporting mechanisms

Reeracoen advocates for industry collaboration and policy alignment to build a more resilient, transparent digital hiring ecosystem.

To download the full report or explore Reeracoen's recruitment services, visit: 

• Navigating Job Scams in a Digital Hiring Era: Singapore 2025
• Think of jobs in Singapore, think of Reeracoen Singapore  

About Reeracoen Singapore

Reeracoen is an award-winning leader in Asia's recruitment landscape, connecting top-tier talent with forward-thinking organisations across the region. With 9 offices across 6 major Asian countries, we combine deep local networks with cross-border hiring expertise to help businesses grow faster and stronger.

Our excellence has been recognised with recent awards such as:

• Best Recruitment & Talent Acquisition Agency 2025
• Best International Recruitment & Talent Acquisition Agency 2024
• Best Executive Recruitment Agency 2024

In Singapore, we uphold the highest standards of professionalism and service quality, providing innovative and trusted recruitment solutions to help businesses and candidates succeed in an evolving digital economy. For more information, visit www.reeracoen.sg and follow us on social media.

About Rakuten Insight Global, Inc.

Rakuten Insight Global, Inc. ("Rakuten Insight") is a wholly-owned online market research subsidiary of Rakuten Group, Inc., a global leader in internet services, headquartered in Tokyo. Rakuten Insight was established in 1997 as AIP Corporation and became part of the Rakuten Group in 2014. Rakuten Insight possesses a research panel focusing on 12 major Asian markets & the US and a panel network covering 60 countries and regions. With offices in 11 countries and regions, Rakuten Insight provides market research for over 500 leading companies around the world. Rakuten Insight Singapore serves as an off-shore market research hub to drive business development and provide multi-lingual and multi-functional operational support for clients based across Southeast Asia. For more information, visit https://insight.rakuten.com/ and follow us on social media.