Evaluating Job Postings
Thoroughly research the Employer and the opportunity. If you suspect a posting is fraudulent, do not click on any links and do not provide any personal information. Please contact the Dickinson Advising, Internships & Career Center immediately and end all communication with the employer.
Generally, if the posting or secondary communications engages in any of the following practices, you should proceed with caution and alert the Advising, Internships & Career Center as soon as possible for advice on next steps:
- The posting lacks all or some of the following information - company name, address, contact information, telephone phone number, a domain email address, etc.
- Offers to pay a large amount of money for disproportionally little work
- Offers you a job without interviewing/interacting with you
- Requests personal information from you such as your social security number, bank account numbers, credit card information, copies of your passport, license, photograph or other personal documents
- Requests you to transfer or wire money from one account to another or make any payments by wire service, money order or courier
- Offers you a large payment in exchange for being allowed to use your bank account – “use” defined as depositing checks or transferring money
- Requests that you pay upfront – for anything
- Offers to send you a check before you do any work or send you a large check unexpectedly
- Postings with spelling and grammatical errors
- A website without a clear description of the employer/business, an index or information on the posting
What can you do to research a company and a posting:
- Google the company name and the word “scam”
- Go to Monster.com, which lists descriptive words in job postings that are associated with fraud (ex. remuneration, package-forwarding, wiring funds) and follow up on the site’s suggestions.
Additional Resources for Fraudulent Online Postings:
- Federal Trade Commission, Job Hunting/Job Scams
- World Privacy Forum, Consumer Tips: Critical Tips For Job Seekers to Avoid Job Scams
- Riley Guide, “Is This Job Real? What Should I do If I Applied?”
- Better Business Bureau, use to research companies for legitimacy
If you believe you are the victim of fraud resulting from a posting, please contact the Department of Public Safety or the police, as well as the Dickinson Advising, Internships & Career Center. If the incident occurred entirely over the Internet, you can file an incident report with the US Department of Justice, or by contacting the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).
If you are hired and have concerns about the legitimacy of the company or an unsafe work environment, contact the US Department of Labor