Job Scams and Prevention
Scammers advertise where real employers and job placement firms do. They tend to make optimistic and lofty promises about your employment chances, and virtually all of them ask you to pay them for their services before you get a job. If you must pay for the promise of a job or are asked for personal information like social security numbers or bank account information, it’s likely a scam.
If you paid someone you think is a scammer or gave them your personal information:
- Contact Northeastern’s Employment Engagement and Career Design at [email protected] to let us know.
- Contact Northeastern University Police at 617-373-2121, https://nupd.northeastern.edu/ to receive helpful advice and file a report.
- Contact Northeastern ITS at https://security.its.northeastern.edu/#_ga=2.168009697.1375064172.1667315021-301958422.1594771951
- If you are an international student, please also consult OGS at https://international.northeastern.edu/ogs/
- File a report with the Federal Trade Commission
- When you report a scam, the FTC can use the information to build cases against scammers, spot trends, educate the public, and share data about what is happening in your community. If you were scammed, report it to the FTC at ftc.gov/complaint.
- You can check out what is going on in your state or metro area by visiting ftc.gov/exploredata.
For more information about what to do if you have or think you have been or scammed, please see Careers at Northeastern’s website: https://careers.northeastern.edu/keep-yourself-safe-how-to-avoid-job-scams-resources-and-what-to-do-if-you-need-help/
Common Job Scams
Fake job listings
Fake job listings vary in how they target people. Some are able to post on legitimate job sites, but usually appear on social media profiles created to deceive and target job seekers. The listing will typically ask potential candidates to pay a fee to complete their application or to get started in the role.
Imposters
In the context of job scams, imposters could pose as an affiliate of a government institution, an agency, or a hiring firm. They frequently ask for a screening fee in the form of gift cards or a wire transfer.
Email offers
Some scam emails are from people claiming to be a recruiter who found your resume on a job board. Scam email offers tend to ask you for sensitive information, such as identification or bank account numbers.
If you receive an email from a seemingly fake account or the email content contains typos, mis-matched fonts, or copy-and-pasted text lines, it is likely a scam email or phishing email. If it is a phishing email, report it to Northeastern ITS.
How to avoid
Here are some helpful tips to avoid being victim of a job scam:
- Never pay a recruiter or an employer for a job
- Never supply a bank account, social security, credit card, or deposit a check and forward it from your account.
- If the job sounds too good to be true, it probably is (for example, “no experience necessary” “earn money fast”)
- Emails (seemingly random or from an unknown party) with links asking for payment to apply or asking for detailed personal information.
- Jobs promising higher or lower wages than the average for that job
- If you didn’t submit your application to their official career website, but you get an email saying your resume/application is being considered
When you are in doubt, ask a career counselor in Employer Engagement and Career Design or Google the company name with the word “scam” to see if there are any scam reports.