Fraudulent Job Postings

Identify fraudulent postings by watching for the following red flags:

• Contact is asking for your credit card number, bank account numbers or other personal financial documentation.
• You are offered a large payment or reward in exchange for allowing the use of your bank account.
• You receive an unexpected large check.
• Contact says that they do not have an office in your area yet and need your help setting it up.
• The posting appears to be from a reputable, familiar company but the domain name in the contact’s email does not match the domain used by representatives of the company (this can usually be verified by checking the company’s website.)
• The posting does not mention the job responsibilities and focuses on the amount of money to be made.
• The contact responds to you immediately after you have submitted your resume. (Typically, resumes are reviewed by multiple individuals or not until the posting is closed.)
• It is difficult to find an address, contact, company name, or other information. Remember that fraud postings are illegal, so scammers try to remain well-hidden.
• The posting includes many spelling and grammatical errors.
• You are asked to provide a photo of yourself.
• You are uncomfortable with the type or amount of information being requested or something just doesn’t seem right.

Research postings that you are unsure about:

• Look closely at the company’s website. Scammers often create quick, basic pages that seem legitimate at first glance.
• Check to see if the posting is listed on the company’s website.  Most companies will post their openings on their own website.
• Try Googling the company plus the word “scam.” If the results show several scam reports, that is probably an indication of fraud.
• Google the listed phone number, fax number and/or email address to see if it is connected to an actual business organization.

If you spot a potentially fraudulent posting:

• Please notify Student Employment Services immediately by calling 419-372-2865.
• Stop communicating with the employer.
• If personal information was disclosed, monitor your accounts closely over the next few days.

If you have been the victim of a scam, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) provides the following instructions:

• Immediately contact the local police. The police are responsible for conducting an investigation, regardless of whether the scam artist is local or in another state.
• If you have sent money to a fraudulent employer, contact your bank and/or credit card company immediately to close the account and dispute the charges.
• If the incident occurred completely over the internet, file a report with the United States Department of Justice at http://www.cybercrime.gov/ or by calling the FTC at 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357).