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SriLankan Airlines, the national carrier of Sri Lanka, has recently been the subject of numerous misleading social media posts and fraudulent job advertisements. These scams often misrepresent official information, leading to confusion among the public. Fake job websites, impersonating the airline, are particularly common, falsely offering employment opportunities to lure unsuspecting individuals. SriLankan Airlines has urged the public to remain cautious, verify information through official channels, and avoid falling victim to these deceptive schemes.
Social Media Posts
A viral social media post is spreading a shortened URL that claims to provide access to job vacancies at SriLankan Airlines. The post directs users to a website, purportedly offering an application portal for employment at the airline.
We conducted a thorough investigation into this claim and discovered that the website in question is fraudulent.
Fact Check
Investigation and Findings
Upon clicking the shortened URL, users are redirected to a blog site that asks for personal information, such as contact details, emails, and more. However, this site’s name and domain are completely unrelated to SriLankan Airlines’ official website, raising initial suspicion.
To verify the legitimacy of the claim, we reached out to Deepal Perera, the Media Spokesperson of SriLankan Airlines. He confirmed that the website in question is fake and has no connection with the airline. According to Perera, SriLankan Airlines advertises its job vacancies through official channels, including:
Advertisements in reputed newspapers.
Sri Lankan Airlines’ official website.
Trusted employment platforms like TopJobs.lk.
The fraudulent blog is clearly not one of these platforms, and its attempt to collect personal information is a scam.
How to Identify and Avoid Job Vacancy Scams
Online scams involving fake job vacancies are becoming more frequent, and they often employ convincing tactics to mislead job seekers. Here are some tips to avoid becoming a victim of such scams:
Verify the URL: Always ensure that you are visiting the official website of the company. Fake websites often use similar names or shortened URLs to trick users. In this case, SriLankan Airlines’ official website is www.srilankan.com.
Check for HTTPS and Authentic Domains: Ensure that the website begins with “https” and has a secure connection. Scam sites often use less secure “http” versions. Authentic company websites will typically have professional and recognizable domain names.
Look for Official Announcements: Companies like SriLankan Airlines will advertise job openings through legitimate channels. Before applying, check for job listings on well-known platforms such as:
Official corporate websites.
Trusted recruitment portals like TopJobs.lk.
Reputed media sources.
Be Cautious of Shortened URLs: Scammers often use URL shorteners to hide the true destination of the link. If a URL seems suspicious, avoid clicking on it or use a URL expansion service to preview the real link.
Do Not Provide Personal Information: Fraudulent websites may ask for personal information such as your address, phone number, or even financial details under the guise of a job application. Reputable companies will not ask for this type of information in an online form unless it is through an official recruitment process.
Research the Employer: If you are unsure about the legitimacy of a job posting, it’s always good to visit the company’s official website or call their HR department to confirm the job opening.
Details about identifying such scams and etc can be reached here and here also.
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Conclusion
The website circulating via social media, claiming to offer job applications for SriLankan Airlines, is fake. SriLankan Airlines has confirmed that they do not post job vacancies on unauthorized blog sites and urged potential candidates to use their official channels for applying. Always remain vigilant and follow the safety tips mentioned above to avoid falling victim to such online scams.
