Fraudulent Jobs

Fraudulent Jobs

Unfortunately, job scams are common, and it can be difficult to spot them at first glance. Fraudulent job postings may appear real but are not, and their goal is often to gain your personal information. To help protect yourself, we have put together tips and resources to guide you in identifying potential scams. 

How to identify

Fraudulent jobs can present themselves in many different ways. Below are steps and questions to ask yourself to find out if the job posting is a scam.

  • Is the employer asking for financial information, such as a bank account or credit card number?

  • Did you apply to a job with that employer?
  • Is the provided website a legitimate employer?
  • Does any contact information appear on the company web page?
  • Can you find the specific company’s provided email, phone number, and website on the internet?

  • Is it coming from a business or company domain?
  • Is the business or company domain misspelled or not exactly the official company name?
  • Is the “reply” email address the same as the “from” email address?
  • Are there several grammatical, spelling, punctuation, or other errors?

How can I avoid fraud?

There are several steps you can take to protect yourself from fraudulent jobs. Follow our tips below to be proactive as you search for jobs.

  • You should not be asked to send personal information, such as a bank account, Social Security number, or similar details. If an employer needs this information, ask them for an opportunity to provide it in person.

  • You should not receive a check or compensation before you begin working.
  • You should not be asked to transfer funds or wire money to a company.

  • You should not receive a job offer by just submitting a resume to a company.

  • You should not respond to a job offer or request for information from a company that is not in your list of submitted applications.
  • Make sure to research the companies you apply for. Be cautious because scammers will imitate real employers and companies.

Common examples of fraudulent job postings

There are common work positions that scammers use to trick you during your job search. Below are a list of job titles that scammers often use. If you come across these titles, make sure to do extra research and take necessary precautions.

Many people want to work from home and make money without leaving their house. Scammers are aware of the popular interest in working from home, so their job postings claim that you can make a lot of money with little time and effort.

These jobs usually have a vague job description, making it easier for the scammer to change the description to meet their needs. The description often claims that you don't need experience for the job. This allows the scammer to be able to recruit anyone.

While there are many online shopper jobs that are real, many of them aren't. Getting paid to shop sounds like an easy job, but make sure you are researching the company before giving out any information.

Because marketing is important for all companies, scammers often use this title. Many of these job postings claim that you can make money instantly and have flexible hours without any experience. Real job postings will usually list some sort of qualifications for the position.

How to respond and report

  • Do not respond to anything you suspect to be a scam. Instead, review and follow the previously listed steps carefully to identify if the job email or posting is fraudulent.
  • If you conclude that the communication is a scam, please report it to the Office of Student Employment. We can provide further guidance for identifying fraudulent job emails and postings. 
  • If you already disclosed information, be sure to contact your bank and credit card companies to make them aware of potential fraudulent charges. In addition, you can file a complaint with the FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center.