Career Services at UW-Madison

Avoiding Job Scams & Fraudulent Employers

Safety and security during the job search process are of utmost importance to Career Services at UW-Madison. Job scams and fraudulent employers do exist and you need to exercise caution when searching for jobs and receiving emails from prospective employers.

If you are ever questioning the legitimacy of an employer or job posting, please contact your career services office to confirm. We are more than happy to help and answer any questions you have. 

Already involved in a scam and need assistance? Start here.

Additional Resources

Indicators of Job Scams & Fraudulent Job Postings

Always watch out for emails that have very little information and request that you click a link to engage in any way. Use this resource to better recognize and report phishing scams. 

  • You are offered a job without interviewing. 
  • The job posting includes many spelling and grammatical errors.
  • You are asked to provide your Social Security and driver’s license information in the initial application. Personal information should never be requested during the initial application process.
  • It is difficult to find an address, actual contact information, or company name. Fraud postings are illegal, so scammers will try to keep themselves well-hidden.
  • The position indicates a “first year compensation” that is excessively higher than the average compensation for that position or lists a very wide range (i.e. “employees can earn from $40,000 to $80,000 the first year!”).
  • The posting neglects to mention the job responsibilities or the requirements seem very easy. Many of these types of scams are recruiting for an Administrative Assistant, Personal Assistant, or Office Assistant position. 
  • You are offered a large payment for access to your bank account for depositing checks or transferring money or the employer asks you to pay for something like software or a credit report.
  • The employer tells you that they do not have an office set up in your area and will need you to help them get it up and running.

Indicators of Fraudulent Employers

  • You are asked to provide your Social Security number, credit card, bank account numbers, or other personal financial documentation, or the position requires an initial investment such as a payment or deposit of a mailed check by wire service or courier.
  • The employer uses a personal account like gmail or yahoo or provides very little contact information. Legitimate employers will always provide a valid phone number, email address, or website.
  • The employer seems to be legitimate, but when you look closely, the email address is just slightly different. For example, @bankofamerica.com may read @bankofamerca.com. Always double check the company’s website to verify job postings.
  • The employer suggests communicating primarily through text messaging or the employer contacts you by phone but there is no way to call them back. 
  • The employer offers you a job without ever interacting with you or offers to send you a check before you do any work.
  • The company has a generic name such as Finance or Insurance Company.
  • You receive an email that says the employer received your application when you haven’t sent one or you receive an email that says the employer received your information from your career office. While some employers may legitimately contact you through your career office, an email from a legitimate employer should be detailed. If you receive a generic email that says they found your resume through your career office, always check with your career office before responding.

Tips for Researching Employer Credibility

  1. Visit the organization’s website. Is there specific contact information? Are jobs and career information actually posted on the site? Lack of professionalism and pertinent information is a red flag.
  2. Check for a physical address associated with the company and use Google Maps to verify the location. Exercise caution and consider your own safety when considering employers who utilize a residential address. 
  3. Research the company on Handshake or Glassdoor.com for feedback and complaints.
  4. Google the company name and the word “scam” to see if there are results (i.e. Acme Company Scam). Another source for scam reports is: spam-detector.com. Check DoIT’s scam alerts website for known scams that may come through your wisc.edu email address.
  5. Check to see if a company is legitimate through various websites like Hoover’s, the US Chamber of Commerce, or the Better Business Bureau.

Steps to Take If You Are Involved in a Job Scam

  1. End all contact and communication with the employer or individual.
  2. Do not cash any checks, accept any payments, or send any money to anyone. Do not buy gift cards or send payment through services such as Venmo or PayPal.
  3. If you have already cashed checks or sent money:
    1. Notify your financial institution as soon as possible.
    2. Block any outgoing checks or wire transfers. 
  4. Contact the UW-Madison Police Department or your local police department to file a report. 
  5. Notify your career office of the situation as soon as possible.
  6. Notify DoIT if the email or communication came to your wisc.edu email address or if an incident happened on university-owned devices. 
  7. If the situation occurred completely online, consider filing an incident report with the Criminal Department of the U.S. Department of Justice using these guidelines. 
  8. Consider reporting fraud or job scams to the Federal Trade Commission through their online platform or by calling 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357).