Job scams are on the rise, but they’re easy to spot once you know what to look for. Here’s an example job scam that folks on campus have recently encountered:
You receive an email advertising a job opening, and you respond. Once you’re hired, your “employer” sends you a (fraudulent) check for “equipment purchases” and your first week’s pay.
Here’s what happens next:
- The check is written for too much money, and they ask you to send the difference back to them from your account, via an electronic payment service.
- Your bank identifies your payment as fake and you’re unfortunately out the money that you transferred to them.
This is just one type of job scam. For other types, see the Federal Trade Commission’s guide to Job Scams.
Don’t fall for these scams—here’s how to protect yourself.
How to avoid a job scam
Before you accept a job offer, and certainly an online job, take these steps to protect yourself from job scams:
- Do search online. Look up the company or the person who’s hiring you. Include the words “scam” or “complaint.” Odds are they’ve scammed other people and your search may alert you to the fact.
- Do ask advice. Describe the job offer to someone you trust and ask what they think.
- Don’t contact scam actors from your personal email account or phone. Scammers often know that @wisc.edu accounts are more protected compared to personal accounts. They’ll try to get you to use personal accounts which offer less protection and security.
- Don’t pay to get a job. Legitimate employers don’t ask you to pay them. Nor do job placement agencies or recruiters typically charge a job seeker to find them a job. Any “employer” who does is most likely a scammer.
- Don’t give in to time pressure or deadlines. Take time to research and consider the offer. If someone is pressuring you to accept a job offer, that’s a signal that it might be a job scam.
- Don’t respond to email job offers from unknown parties.
- Don’t give out personal information like your social security number or bank account number to people you don’t know.
And for additional guidance on how to avoid job scams, see the avoiding job scams & fraudulent employers webpage.
Sources:
https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/job-scams
https://www.colorado.edu/studentemployment/resources/recognize-avoid-job-scams