After years of studying difficult subjects, listening to mentors and building peer networks, completing college can feel like a great triumph for any degree-seeking student. Yet post-graduation, the pressure to gain employment can still be overwhelming. In this vulnerable time, students might find themselves targeted by employment scams that attempt to exploit their anxieties by offering quick, easy cash.
This year, the FBI warned college students and recent graduates to be on the lookout for employment scams.
Job scammers use a variety of methods to entice college students. Fake job offers can be sent through email, social media, fake employment websites and even legitimate job boards. Fraudulent job recruiters may request a victim's personal information with the intention of stealing their identity or request payments for training and work supplies for non-existent positions.
In 2016 Better Business Bureau Scam Tracker, an online tool that allows consumers to report scams trending in their area, received 2,096 reports about employment scams. According to those reports, job seekers have lost up to tens of thousands of dollars to unscrupulous employment recruiters.
BBB offers the following tips for consumers to avoid employment scams:
Some advertised job positions could be scams. Always be wary of work-from-home or secret shopper positions, or job openings with generic titles such as caregiver, administrative assistant or customer service rep. Positions that do not require special training or licensing appeal to a wide range of applicants. Scammers know this and use these otherwise legitimate titles in their fake ads. If the job posting is for a well-known brand, check the real company's job page to see if the position is posted there. Look online; if the job comes up in other cities with the exact same post, it could be a scam.
Different procedures should raise your suspicion. Watch out for on-the-spot job offers. You may be an excellent candidate for the job, but beware of offers made without an interview. A real company will want to talk to a candidate before hiring. Some employment scams are designed to steal your identity by requiring you to complete a detailed application form.
Do not fall for an overpayment scam. No legitimate job would overpay an employee and ask for money to be wired elsewhere. This is a common trick used by scammers. And be cautious sharing personal information or any kind of pre-payment. Be careful if a company promises you great opportunities or big income as long as you pay for coaching, training, certifications or directories.
Government agencies post all jobs publicly and freely. The U.S. and Canadian federal governments and the U.S. Postal Service/Canada Postal Service never charge for information about jobs or applications for jobs. Be wary of any offer to give you special access or guarantee you a job for a fee - if you are paying for the promise of a job, it's probably a scam.
Get all details and contracts in writing. When using a reputable employment service it will provide you with a contract for its services with cost, what you get, who pays (you or the employer), and what happens if you do not find a job.
Do your homework. Research any business and its owners carefully before paying any money. Check the company's BBB Business Profile at columbiabbb.org or by calling 888-996-3887.
Use your resources. To report suspected scams or learn more about the latest scams trending in your area, go to bbb.org/scamtracker.
Sean Spence is the Mid-Missouri regional director for Better Business Bureau.