Based on 214 community votes, the most popular answer to “Should I Tell My Friend Her Dream Job Offer Is a Scam?” is “Tell her everything right away” — chosen by 64% of voters.
Category: ethics • Theme: Protecting a Friend vs Respecting Her Independence
I’m really torn right now, and I don’t know who to talk to about this. My closest friend has been struggling with unemployment for almost a year. She’s poured so much of herself into every job interview, and each rejection has chipped away at her confidence. Last week, she was over the moon about a job offer she got through a recruiter she met online. The position is everything she’s wanted, and she believes it’s finally her chance to get her life back on track. But as soon as she forwarded me the email chain, I had this sinking feeling. The company’s name looked slightly off, and I used to volunteer with a nonprofit exposing employment scams. I did a bit of digging, and I’m almost certain this is one of those high-level phishing operations—fake interviews, fake contracts, and then demands for her banking info or fees. I haven’t told her yet. She’s started prepping for the onboarding process and even called her family crying with relief. If I immediately break the news, I know it will devastate her and maybe shake her ability to ever trust “good news” again. But if I don’t say anything, she could lose money she doesn’t have left and possibly get her identity stolen. Or maybe I could check further myself and try to find proof before scaring her. No matter what, I feel like I’m about to hurt her, either by destroying her hope or by letting her walk into a trap. I want to protect her, but I also want to respect her right to pursue her dreams and not be the bearer of bad news yet again. What would YOU do?
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