Jobs that sound too good to be true should raise a red flag for any college student. Fake job postings abound in unsolicited e-mails sent to your student account and in online job listing sites.
Here are some tips to help you identify fake jobs. You should always carefully research the legitimacy of employers before applying.
Common Job Scams Targeting College Students:
- Mystery shoppers
- Envelope stuffing from home
- Repackaging or shipping from home
- Issuing checks/check processing from home
- Model/talent agencies
- Pyramid sales schemes
- A variety of scams where a student is asked to pay for certification, training materials, or equipment with promise of reimbursement
Watch out for over-payment scams. These are often posted as a bookkeeper, personal assistant, administrative assistant, etc., to assist in processing checks or mystery/secret shoppers. The “company” sends a check to the “assistant” (student), who is then responsible for taking their “salary” out of the check and wiring the remainder of the money back to the “company.” These checks are fraudulent and can leave you out thousands of dollars and facing criminal charges.
Beware if the E-mail or Job Posting:
- does not indicate the company name
- comes from an e-mail address that doesn’t match the company name
- does not give the employer contact information—title of person sending the e-mail, company address, phone number, etc.
- offers to pay a large amount for almost no work
- offers you a job without ever interacting with you
- asks you to pay an application fee
- wants you to transfer money from one account to another
- offers to send you a check before you do any work
- asks you to give your credit card or bank account numbers
- asks for copies of personal documents
- says you must send payment by wire service or courier
- offers you a large payment for allowing the use of your bank account—often for depositing checks or transferring money
- sends you an unexpectedly large check
No legitimate employer will send payment in advance and ask the employee to send a portion of it back. DO NOT provide any personal information especially Social Security numbers or financial information!
If you have concerns about the legitimacy of a job or internship posting, please contact the IUP Career Development Center at 724-357-2235 or career-services@iup.edu. If you feel that you’ve been the victim of a scam, please contact University Police at 724-357-2141.
