Hiatt Career Center

Fraudulent Job Postings

We make every effort to screen employers and job postings on Handshake. However, if you receive a suspicious email or phone message from an employer, it is extremely important to exercise caution.

If you feel uncomfortable about a job opportunity you receive by email or find on any job board, DO NOT click on any links and DO NOT provide any personal information.

Generally, if the posting or email contains any of the following, please proceed with caution:
  • Offers to pay a large amount of money for very little work
  • Offers you a job without ever interacting with you
  • Requests personal information from you such as Social Security number, bank account numbers, credit card information, copies of your passport or license and/or other personal documents
  • Requests you to transfer or wire money from one account to another
  • Offers you a large payment in exchange for allowing the use of your bank account — often for depositing checks or transferring money
  • Offers to send you a check before you do any work
  • Sends you an unexpectedly large check
  • Requests payment by wire service or courier
If you are wary of a job posting or email, ask yourself the following questions:
  • Does this job promise a large salary for almost no work, especially if I have little or none of the required experience?
  • Does this position offer me a large payment or reward in exchange for allowing the use of my bank account?
  • Does the contact's email address match the company's website domain? (i.e. JohnSmith [at] gmail.com rather than JohnSmith [at] companyname.com)?
  • Are there multiple misspellings in the job posting or email?
  • Does the posting focus more on the money I will make rather than the responsibilities of the job?
  • Does this opportunity sound too good to be true?

Get Help

If you are suspicious of a posting or email, end all communication with the employer and email the Hiatt Career Center or call 781-736-3618. ITS Security is also available to support you; email ITS if you are uncertain about the validity of an email.

If you believe you have been defrauded, please contact Campus Police at 781-736-5000.

If the incident occurred completely over the Internet, you can file an incident report with the U.S. Department of Justice or call the Federal Trade Commission at 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357).

Once you are hired, if you have any concerns about the legitimacy of the company or believe the work environment to be unsafe, contact the U.S. Department of Labor.

Additional Resources