Identifying Fraudulent Job and Internship Postings

Unfortunately, not every job posting is a genuine opportunity. Scammers know job offers are a powerful tool for harvesting personal information, and distinguishing legitimate job postings from scam attempts is a valuable skill to have. If you experience anything unusual about a job posting in Handshake, please contact the Strommen Center as soon as possible.

Basic Tips:
– When in doubt, look for the job posting on the company’s official website. Much like phishing emails, scam job postings may use well-known companies’ names and images. Search for the company webpage (avoid links from the suspicious posting; they may lead to a cosmetically similar page) and check the employment postings to be sure that the opening is genuine. Calling the company in question (using publicly available contact information) is another good strategy.
– If you’re posting your resume online where it can be accessed by anyone, leave specific personal information such as past employers, address, and your date of birth.
– If a job sounds too good to be true, it probably is. The “red flags” below are examples of probable fraudulent or unscrupulous employers:

  • bad grammar and spelling on websites or in emails
  • requests for personal information, such as social security number, bank account information or other financial inquiries, such as payment requests or Paypal/Venmo account information
  • difficulty contacting or identifying the employer or organization that posted the job
  • the number of the employer or recruiter is listed as unavailable after they contact you by phone
  • the job description is vague and focuses more on money than the job role
  • the email domain (ex: @xyzcorp.com) doesn’t match the company’s official website domain or the email domain is a free provider (ex: gmail.com). Some newer companies or start-ups may use these free providers, but larger genuine companies almost always have their own email systems.
  • the website only has information about the job your applying for rather than about the company in general

If you see any of these signs, you should cease communication and engagement immediately, and report the interaction to the Strommen Career & Internship Center.

What if I’m already involved in a scam?
– Immediately contact the local police and the Strommen Career and Internship Center. 612-330-1148 or email careers@augsburg.edu
– If necessary, get in touch with your bank or credit card company and dispute any fraudulent activity immediately.
– If the scam happened online, file a report with the FTC’s cybercrime division

*Modified with approval from St. Olaf College, Piper Career Center