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What is Job Fraud?

 

Job fraud has increased in recent years, along with phishing emails and other scams. The email will often attempt to relate to something urgent, asking the reader to apply via text or email quickly. If the offer seems too good to be true, it most likely is. Most job fraud emails come from someone you had no contact with previously. They will pose as an instructor, work recruiter, or a higher-up from a company that may not exist.

Who are Intended Victims?

In a world where jobs are hard to come by, many people find it tempting to quickly jump at any opportunity that may present themselves. Often, victims are college students or young adults. Since many students have not had experience in work culture, it may seem normal to have job offers sent to their email, but it is not. Unless you use LinkedIn, Indeed or other well-known job sites, be very wary of unsolicited job offers.

Signs of Job Fraud

 

  • No work email: Every company has a work email that employees must use. Be wary if the email ends with Gmail, Yahoo, or any other common consumer email address.
  • Too good to be true: We all want to make easy cash, but it is not always easy. If you see a job offer that offers to pay much more than expected for the type of work, watch out
  • Asks prospects to handle cash immediately: No company will ask you to handle cash or send them a check or money order. Be especially wary if they want you to cash a cashier check with “more” than you were expected to be paid. They will ask you to either buy gift cards or send them back anything that was leftover via money order. The check will eventually bounce, and your bank may hold you responsible for the money.
  • Pressure to apply or start immediately: If the header says “immediately” or “urgently,” you should suspect something is wrong. If you feel the offer is genuine and want to verify it, look up the company online and contact their HR department. If you can’t find the company online, it likely doesn’t exist and the offer is fraudulent.
  • Poor grammar: Professional emails are just that; professional. If the email has basic misspellings or grammatical errors, it is likely fraudulent.
  • Email includes multiple recipients: A job offer should not be a “mass email.” It should be sent to you and only you by name if it is authentic. If the email does not address you by name, instead using something like “Hello student” or “Good Morning,” be cautious.
  • Asks you for money in exchange for a guaranteed job: No job recruiter in good faith will require money or payment to secure a job spot.
  • Only messages via text or email: If the employer's only means of communication is indirect, it is likely fraudulent. This is especially true when the person wants to communicate via text.

  • Do not share sensitive information: The emailer will try to get you to provide your social security number, bank name or credit card information. Do not send any private information over the phone or through email, especially to someone who contacted you first.
  • Do not press any links or call any numbers: The email may have you visit another website through the email you were sent. This could lead to a virus on your computer or becoming a keylogging victim, allowing the hacker to trace all of the information you type into your computer (such as URLs, usernames and passwords.)
  • Do your research: Before considering whether the opportunity is real, determine if the company is legitimate. LinkedIn or other trusted job-searching websites are a primary source for available jobs or internships.
  • Ask to meet face-to-face: The easiest way to settle your worries is to see if the individual is real. A genuine employer would want to meet the person they are hiring.
  • Trust yourself: If you think it may be too good to be step, step back and ask for assistance.
  • Never send cash or a money order: You should never send money to anybody you do not know, especially for a job.

  • If you did give information, contact your bank as soon as possible to alert them to the potential for fraud.
  • Notify your local police department.
  • Visit the Federal Trade Commission and file a report
  • If you are unsure if an offer is fraudulent and it was sent to your LACCD email account, you may forward the email to phishing@laccd.edu for assistance.

Examples of Job Scams

Job scams can appear in different variations. Below are examples of real-life job scams that are used to target students and young adults.

This is a clear example of a job scam. The emailer does not have a recognizable email address or address anyone in particular. The email requests that the recipient shares their name, number, and email address without any previous information. The email is most likely fraudulent and should be ignored or deleted.

Example of Pet Sitting Scam

The email's subject line includes "Immediate" and "ASAP," both of which are meant to make the recipient feel as if they are inclined to respond quickly. The email does not give a physical address or number to reach out to. The email address should be business-related, but it seems to be from a personal account and gives a vague job description. The job is too good to be true when working from home and making $300 to $500 weekly. Readers should steer clear of the red flags.

Office assistant scam

This is an example of someone posing as a Red Cross member looking for a part-timer only to work three hours a day, three times a week. Making $700 as promised is nearly $77 an hour, which does not make sense for a simple ordering and delivery job. It is too good to be true; further inspection shows that the email address is not related to the Red Cross and is a scam. 

A picture of a job scam posing as red cross

This example shows how students are the primary target of job scams. The subject line mentions student services and the need for a student to work remotely with no description of the job besides skill development. It also has files that are connected to the email, which can contain a malicious virus if the user is not careful. The job seems too easy and has no business email or physical location. The example captures what a typical job scam could look like.

A picture of a remote job scam

Additional information

For more information about job scams through the FTC click here

For more information about job scams and how to protect yourself click here

For more information about different types of common job scams click here

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