Student Cyberscam Alert: fake job postings on the rise
The Office of Information Security (OIS) warns about current phishing scam targeting students.
About the scam
Students are sent emails by scammers posing as legitimate recruiters. The email offers a remote job position with no in-person interview required, an attractive starting salary and sometimes asks for personal (non-university) contact info. This is the first interaction that ultimately leads to a gift card, request to deposit a check, or other financial task once trust is gained.
There are many legitimate and exciting opportunities through online recruiting sites, including those posted in Handshake. But employers who contact you directly may be scammers posing as employers. See an example of this type of phishing scam.
Recognizing the scam
If an employment arrangement seems “too good to be true,” it probably is! As with any email you receive, review it for common phishing indicators, including misspellings, grammatical errors, inconsistencies, or an email address that doesn’t match the name of the organization. In the case of unsolicited job opportunities/offers, evaluate the email carefully, ask questions, and do an Internet search of the organization. Don’t be pressured into accepting a job that makes you suspicious or uncomfortable. Stop all communications if you aren’t sure about the legitimacy of the job or the company.
What to do if you’ve received this type of scam
- See and follow “Avoiding Job Scams” tips from the Career Center.
- Use good judgement when evaluating and interacting with all potential employers.
- Confirm the sender. Look up their info on the corporate website and contact them directly through the site (not the email).
- Contact the TU Career Center to confirm if the posting is legit
- Report suspicious email to phishing@towson.edu.
Categorised in: Students
This post was written by Weldon, Jennifer