JOB SEARCH SCAMS

Fraudulent activities and scams are present with all financial decisions, and that includes career planning. When seeking employment, beware of these deceptive practices:

• fake jobs and phony companies are designed to obtain your personal data or to get you to accidentally sign up or buy something.
• impersonation scams involve fake job postings using real names, actual companies, or university staff, which can result in identity theft.
• ghost jobs are postings that do not exist; recruiters may use this tactic to build a talent database. 
• phishing involves emails designed to collect sensitive financial information.
• upfront payment requests to pay for training materials, background check, or an application fee.
• too-good-to-be-true job that promises high pay for very little work.
• unsolicited job offer for a position for which you did not apply.
• fake interview to try to get bank account numbers or personal information.
• fake recruiters tempt you with attractive opportunities and try to get your personal or financial information.

Job scam warning signs include: (1) a sense of urgency; (2) emails and websites with grammar and spelling errors; (3) generic email domains, instead of company name; (4) vague job descriptions; and (5) requests for upfront money.

To help prevent job scams, consider these actions:

• be wary of job offers with high salaries, requiring you to work from home, and a rushed hiring process.
• verify the company on their official website and check online reviews.
• be cautious before providing personal information and financial data.

For additional information on job search scams, go to:

https://clark.com/employment-military/job-search-scams/

https://www.flexjobs.com/blog/post/common-job-search-scams-how-to-protect-yourself-v2

Teaching Suggestions

• Have students talk to others to learn about actions they have taken for successful job searches.
• Have students conduct online and AI research to create a video with warning signs to avoid job scams.

Discussion Questions 

1. What things might you hear or see that would make you suspicious of a job posting or job offer?
2. Describe actions a person might take to avoid job scams.