The Coronavirus pandemic has led to many people unfortunately being forced to look for new jobs this year.

And people in Staffordshire have now been warned of scammers looking to exploit those in need of new jobs.

Police have warned that criminals may be hoping to trick people out of their money by offering them their "dream role", which is in fact just a scam.

Such scams, police say, may lure people in by providing unrealistic salaries with little or no experience requirements.

They often include work-from-home jobs, and may be found on online job boards or social media.

Police have issued advice on how local residents can avoid falling for such scams.

Emma Ray, Community Engagement Assistant at Staffordshire Police, said: "Finding a new job can be stressful, and sometimes what looks like the dream role may in fact be a scam.

"If you're asked to make an up-front payment for DBS checks, CV writing or improvement services, training programs or job applications it's likely to be a scam.

"Criminals are exploiting those looking for jobs by advertising fake opportunities that provide unrealistic salaries for little or no experience. These may be found on online job boards or social media and often include work-from-home jobs.

"Using a reputable recruitment company who are members of a trade association, such as the REC, APSCo, or TEAM assures you they're genuine.

"Research job adverts to ensure they're genuine, as providing your personal information for non-existent jobs can lead to identity theft. If the deal sounds too good to be true, it usually is."

If you've fallen for a job scam you can report it to Safer Jobs using their online reporting tool here.