It’s important to stay alert when applying to jobs or when you receive an email about a job as scammers often target students with fake job offers that look convincing at first glance.
What Do These Scams Look Like?
These phishing scams often arrive by email (even to your university account), text/phone call, or are even posted on job boards, and they may promise easy money or free items. Common examples include:
- Student worker positions
- Part-time roles with organizations like UNICEF
- Pet sitting or babysitting gigs
- Mystery shopper or payroll clerk jobs
- Remote employment opportunities
- Free items like pianos or tools
Scammers frequently change their tactics, so these examples represent only a small portion of what you might encounter.
Red Flags to Watch For
Ask yourself these questions before responding to any job offer:
- Do they want you to act immediately with extreme urgency?
- Did they offer you a position without an interview?
- Is the pay way above normal? (e.g., $40/hour for a job that usually pays $15/hour)
- Are they asking you to wire money or send gift cards?
- Are they asking for personal details like your Social Security number or bank info?
- Did they send you a check and ask you to deposit it, transfer part of the money, or buy items with it?
- If so, it’s a classic scam. Banks must make funds “available” quickly, but that does not mean the check is real. When it bounces, you are responsible for the full amount.
Additional Warning Signs: Payment Transfer & Forwarding Scams
Scammers commonly use job offers as a cover to move stolen money through your personal accounts. You should never:
- Provide personal bank account, PayPal, or credit card information to an employer you haven’t verified.
- Agree to transfer or “forward” funds from your personal bank or PayPal account; often they’ll tell you to “keep a portion” as payment, but the money will be stolen, fake, or reversed.
- Accept direct deposits from an employer you haven’t confirmed is legitimate. Real employers typically only set up direct deposit after you’ve been hired and started working, not before.
- Pay upfront fees for a job. (There may be rare exceptions, but they are uncommon and should always be verified.)
Tips to Stay Safe
- Be skeptical of unsolicited messages. Verify the source before responding.
- Check the sender’s email address. Scammers often use addresses that look legit but have small variations (e.g., a Gmail address pretending to be from PennWest).
- Avoid clicking on links or downloading attachments from unknown senders. Hover over links to see the real URL first.
- Never share sensitive information like passwords, SSNs, or bank details.
- Agree to deposit a check or send money.
What to Do If You Suspect a Scam
If you receive a phishing or scam email:
- Use the Report Phishing button in your university email (preferred), or forward the message to abuse@pennwest.edu.
If you find a questionable job posting anywhere else such as on social media, a job board (i.e. Handshake), a text message, a flyer, or even through a friend, reach out to the Career Center before you respond:
- Email the Career Center at career@pennwest.edu
- Share the job posting, website link, message, or screenshot
- We can review it and let you know whether it’s legitimate
We are always happy to double-check anything you come across. When it comes to your safety and finances, it’s always better to be safe than sorry!