As you conduct your employment search, it is critical that you are well-educated about potential scams and fraudulent jobs that sometimes exist in today's society. Whether you are using Handshake or any external site or job board, always utilize your best judgment and thoroughly research positions, and their agencies, in their entirety prior to applying.
The Springfield College Career Center subscribes to standards set forth by the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE). Please review the suggested tips and recommendations while conducting any type of job search. Visit the weblink for the full article.
Unfortunately, not all employment opportunities are legitimate; entities may pose as employers as part of a scam to elicit personal information from or otherwise defraud their victims. Career centers and students alike must be vigilant about fraudulent employers and should identify steps to take to verify the legitimacy of an employer.
- Research company websites thoroughly: Does the company have a website? Does the website match up with the posting? Does the website look legitimate? Look to see if the organization is using a company domain versus a general Gmail or Hotmail account. Match the e-mail address to the company domain. Watch for e-mail addresses that are similar looking, but not the same. Look for “stock photos,” grammatical errors, and poor use of English language.
- Be leery of non-approved employment flyers on college campuses and other establishments.
- Use social media to research each employer, e.g., Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat, LinkedIn. Research the company on websites such as Glassdoor.com for feedback and complaints.
- Be cognizant of unsolicited e-mails that are not specifically directed to you. Many employers have access to resumes via career centers. Therefore, reach out to your career center should you have any concerns or questions.
- Keep your private information private! Don’t share personal information, e.g., social security numbers, banking information, credit or debit card numbers, PINs, passwords, birthday, address, mother’s maiden name).
- Never process ANY financial transactions. For example: Some companies offer opportunities to “make money really quick.” They will offer a “one day only special.” Their intent is to defraud you by sending or wiring money to your bank account. They will ask you to cash the check or send the monies to other accounts. Once your bank or financial institution processes the scammer’s check or financial request, you may be informed the monies are invalid or “not real.” In the meantime, you are held responsible for the funds the bank has sent at your direction to other accounts.
- Fraudulent companies are phishing for the unsuspecting, including you. Be aware of what you share and post online. If you feel uncomfortable or aren’t sure about certain companies or employers, talk to your career center.
Bottom line, if you have any questions, talk to someone before pursuing any opportunity. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
