While not very common, fraudulent job postings do exist. You will not get paid if you fall for one of these scams, even if you do work for them for a period of time in what seems to be a job. To save yourself from such scams, make sure to keep yourself educated and always be on the lookout!
Alert: Most Recently Reported Job Scams Targeting Students
Warning Signs and Questions to Ask
Numbers matter! Often, more than one warning sign is present in a scam job posting. See how many of these signs pertain to the opportunity you are questioning, and follow the guidelines below for questions to ask.
You received an email about a job
Ask yourself:
- Why did you receive this email?
- Does the email come from a free email service like gmail and not a company domain?
- Can you recall if you signed up for a listserv or gave out your email address?
Errors and inconsistencies
Ask yourself:
- Are there numerous misspellings, typos or grammatical errors?
- Does the salary or payment seem too high compared to other similar positions?
- Is there a sense of urgency that seems unusual or unnecessary?
- Were you offered a job almost immediately?
- Does it seem too good to be true?
Identity of the sender is hard to identify
Ask yourself:
- Is there a company website that is under construction, newly created or non-existent?
- Is it difficult to find a name, phone number, email or address of a contact anywhere on the email or job posting? You should not have to work hard to find this information.
- When you google the company name and “scam,” do you find other similar reports?
They want your personal information or money
Ask yourself:
- Does the employer ask for personal information, such as a social security number, bank account information or birthdate?
- Are you asked to provide a bank account for a transfer of money to buy products for their business?
- Is there a fee requested at any point in the application process? If so, what is it for?
Remember!
In addition to keeping a lookout for all the signs, make sure to:
- Do your research: Google the company, employer or program. Check with agency websites such as the Better Business Bureau or the Federal Trade Commission.
- Trust your instincts: If something is telling you that there is reason for concern, you are probably right. Remember, fraudulent postings intentionally try to be difficult to distinguish from a real job posting.
- Slow the process down: Give yourself time to do research, check with other resources and feel confident in your decision. A real job offer will work with you on a time frame. If a company is being stubborn or pushing you, there may be a reason behind that behavior.
- Check with CNS Career Services: You don’t have to go this alone! If you want help deciding if an offer or posting is a scam, you can reach out to CNS Career Services.
Steps to Take if You Are a Victim
If you have been a victim of a scam, we recommend you do the following:
Identify the Situation
Did you give out any personal information? If so, target the areas that you think may be compromised and work with banks, your credit card company or other entities to ensure best safety measures. This may include closing bank or email accounts that were jeopardized or ordering credit reports to scan for any unusual activity.
Document Everything
This will help the University or law enforcement better assist you and ensure that others may be warned in the future.
Available Campus Resources
- UT Police Department: 512-471-4441
- UT Legal Services
- UT Career Service Offices