As the summer break approaches, online job postings advertising "remote work from home," "high daily pay," and "no experience needed, just a phone and typing skills" are attracting many university students, stay-at-home parents, and those seeking side income.
However, behind these seemingly easy opportunities often lurk risks such as requiring upfront payments, charging fees, or exposing personal information.
Kanzhun Limited (ASX: BZ)
Kanzhun Limited recently issued a special notice on combating fraudulent online part-time jobs, revealing a case where a job seeker, applying for a "part-time buyer" role, was persuaded to front money to purchase specific goods with the promise of reselling them for a profit, only to suffer losses when the items could not be sold.
Beyond financial scams, some fraudsters aim to obtain sensitive personal data from applicants. In another instance, an illicit recruiter posted a "student part-time" position claiming the job simply involved "buying things on e-commerce platforms," but the real intent was to induce students to register for an app with their real names to help the recruiter use unauthorized software to snatch limited-quantity products like Moutai liquor, exposing job seekers to data breaches and involvement in illicit activities.
These fake job postings not only harm job seekers' rights but also disrupt the employment market order. The platform has been continuously working to address violations such as fake engagement schemes and training fees.
With the seasonal increase in demand for part-time work, the platform is enhancing its ability to identify and block risks proactively, focusing on key areas like recruiter verification, job scenario validation, and detecting anomalies during communication.
The notice indicates that from January to May 2026, during the pre-approval stage for job postings, the platform intercepted over 20,000 risky positions and took action against more than 6,000 related accounts.
Simultaneously, as part of the targeted campaign, the security team uses large AI models for real-time, dynamic monitoring of post-communication activities, currently identifying and handling an average of 1,100 risky positions daily.
A representative from Kanzhun Limited stated that compared to full-time roles, part-time job formats are more flexible, making some risks easier to disguise with false packaging. The platform will continue to refine its AI models' detection capabilities based on user reports and ongoing risk analysis to improve the identification of abnormal job postings and behaviors, thereby reducing the space for such fraudulent posts to circulate.
Key Warning Signs for Job Seekers This Summer
Despite evolving tactics, fraudulent online job schemes typically follow a consistent pattern: they first attract applicants with promises of "low barriers to entry, flexible hours, and high daily pay," then move communication off the platform to make further demands for upfront payments, fees, or registration on unfamiliar apps.
The notice detailed a case where a second-hand luxury bag seller pretended to hire buyers, providing product descriptions and links, and instructing the job seeker to purchase specific items for resale on second-hand platforms, with the price difference as income.
Lured by claims of selling over 20 bags in the first month for a profit of 30,000 yuan, the job seeker advanced 2,659 yuan to place an order. However, as the bag was priced significantly above market value, it could not be resold, and the recruiter became unresponsive when a refund was requested.
Other scams specifically target students, exploiting their desire to earn money from their interests. One fraudulent recruiter posted a "game leveling" part-time job, added the applicant on WeChat, and charged a 365-yuan "service fee" to "guarantee stable orders," but subsequently failed to deliver the promised work.
Even emerging trends like AI-generated comic series are being used as a cover. For example, a fraudulent recruiter advertised for an "AI Comic Series Scriptwriter," using terms like "startup" and "training for beginners" to attract applicants. After moving communication off-site, they did not discuss the job but instead demanded a 1,000-yuan "script deposit" and payment for AI software membership fees, with promised profit-sharing remaining only a verbal commitment.
While these new professions represent legitimate and evolving forms of employment, caution is needed as some bad actors misuse these concepts to package fraudulent job offers, creating security risks.
Enhanced Verification and AI Safeguards Across the Hiring Process
The current campaign focuses on verifying four key aspects: recruiter credibility, job scenario authenticity, posting compliance, and communication behavior anomalies, applying checks across the entire part-time job recruitment chain.
For recruiter access, those posting online part-time jobs are subject to more advanced, multi-factor authentication. If anomalies are detected in the posting location or job scenario, the platform requires additional verification materials; posts that fail verification cannot be published.
During job posting review, the platform relies on an "AI large model + manual review" mechanism to promptly address abnormal listings.
During the communication phase, AI models analyze multi-dimensional information including company business scope, job content, and communication patterns to identify potential red flags around the clock.
For higher-risk part-time scenarios like online customer service or clerical work, the platform has built specialized detection models to identify suspicious patterns such as "low barrier, high reward" promises or attempts to redirect communication off the platform, followed by manual review and action.
During the monitoring period, AI patrols identified a beauty and nail studio posting a "New Media Intern" position, which was clearly mismatched with the company's business. The job description also contained suspicious phrases like "work from home" and "flexible hours."
Upon investigation by the Kanzhun security team, it was found the recruiter frequently requested job seekers' WeChat details, not through the platform's official contact exchange function but by subtly guiding them to communicate off-site. The relevant account has been suspended.
Essential Advice for Job Seekers
For job seekers, identifying fake online part-time jobs hinges on spotting anomalies in the job posting itself. One major red flag is a description promising "high daily pay with very low requirements." Another is a job title that seems normal but where the role's content clearly mismatches the company's primary business or realistic hiring scenario, such as a real estate company hiring part-time tutors or a beauty studio hiring part-time testers.
A further typical warning sign is repeated attempts to move communication off the platform. If a recruiter frequently asks to connect via WeChat, QQ, or directs you to download third-party software, the risk level is likely rising. The security team has observed fraudsters using variations of contact details to guide applicants off the platform.
Job seekers are advised to prioritize using the platform's built-in communication tools to establish contact and to keep complete records of all interactions.
Kanzhun Limited reminds users that if communication does move off-site, they should be especially wary of two situations: any request for payment, including deposits, service fees, or transfers to unfamiliar accounts; and any request to register real-name information on an unfamiliar app or to provide sensitive details like bank card numbers, ID cards, or verification codes.
If encountering such requests, job seekers should immediately stop communication and report the incident to the platform.
The platform representative stated that Kanzhun will continue to upgrade its technical governance capabilities and refine its risk management mechanisms for online part-time jobs. The company also calls on recruiters to post job information responsibly and on educational institutions and relevant organizations to strengthen job safety awareness, working together to ensure a safer summer job search season.
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