Like any technology, the Internet, job search websites, and new social networking platforms have benefits and drawbacks. On one hand, finding work opportunities and connecting with recruiters has never been easier or more efficient than it is nowadays. But the accessibility of these new outlets for employers can allow false postings and other scams to permeate more general job and internship boards.
The Marist College Center for Career Services screens each employer and posting that is published in our FoxQuest database before Marist students and alumni can even contact a company representative or view and apply for a position. If you choose to look outside of FoxQuest for any type of work experience, here are some signs that point to a fraudulent posting. Only General Information is Provided The job description does not list detailed tasks and collaborations or uses the phrase ‘other duties as assigned’ as an explanation. According to the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE), fraudulent postings often do not require applicants to be enrolled in a specific degree program and are open regardless of work authorization or degree level. Opportunities may also be listed as nationwide rather than in a precise geographic location. Contact Information is Inconsistent The company’s listed city and state may not match up with the zip code provided in the address. Make sure to look up the full address in Google Maps or other similar search engine and get a street view of the area. Addresses associated with fraudulent posts will give you photos of abandoned buildings, large fields or even private property rather than an office building or public space. Email addresses with personal domains such as Gmail, AOL or Yahoo should also be treated with extra caution. There may be some cases, such as with entrepreneurs, where the company does not have a registered domain name and members of the business must use a personal email account for communications. But all recruiters for large organizations should be using a company registered email account for outreach and receipt of applications. Multiple Errors Exist in the Text, Email and Web Address Domains in fraudulent email addresses will often be one letter off from the company name to make the contact information seem legitimate upon the first quick glance. If a web address is secure, it will have the https prefix, but the ‘s’ will be missing for a web address that is not secured. Capitalization, spelling and grammatical errors will be common in all areas of a phony posting. Your Personal Information is Requested Never provide any employer with financial information such as credit card or bank account details. Fraudulent employers may require you to wire money to an address in an obscure foreign country or meet up in person before you send your application. For this reason, we recommend that you do not include your full street address on your resume. Providing the city and state will be enough. For additional research on a job or internship posting beyond a Google or LinkedIn search visit Glassdoor, a website where employees and former employees anonymously submit reviews of their overall experience working for the company. Multiple reports of fraudulent actions should not be ignored. There is endless information in today’s digital space, so make sure you are equipped to sift through it with curiosity and skepticism during your job or internship search. If you come across a fraudulent posting by an employer or company representative please let us know by emailing us at [email protected] so we can be on the lookout for them.
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