Identifying and avoiding job scams

Job scams can be sophisticated and elaborate schemes that often target students or people new to a field. Whether you are a student looking for a part-time job or a recent graduate searching for a full-time position, it is possible you may experience a fraudulent job offer at some point. As a job seeker, we encourage you to familiarize yourself with the warning signs and protect yourself from potentially losing your hard-earned money or allowing scammers to steal your personal identity.

7 Job Scam Warning Signs

1. You did not apply for the job
   You receive an email from an employer with great news, they received your resume and want to hire you! However, you did not apply for the job.
2. The salary/hourly wage is very high for little work
   The job posting states you will be receiving a high salary for a job requiring no experience. For example, $1000/week for a personal assistant job.

3. The company doesn’t exist online
   You have applied for a job but can’t find any relevant information about the company online.

4. The job posting is full of errors
   The job posting consists of numerous spelling and grammatical errors with little information about the job itself.
5. You receive a job offer without an interview
   You have applied for the job and are awaiting a call for a possible interview. Remarkably, you hear back from the employer and they are ready to offer you the job without an interview.
6. Your personal information is requested
   You apply for the job but then you are asked to share your SIN, birthdate or any other personal information. Companies may ask for some of this information, but not before a job offer.

7. The employer asks you for payment
   You have received a job offer but the employer has asked for payment for training materials, software/program, credit report, etc.

5 Tips to Avoid Fraudulent Job Offers - Do Your Research!

1. Research the company online, do they have a company website?
   They should.
2. Research the name of the person that contacted you, do they have a professional online presence?
   They should.
3. Research the company’s contact information, do they have an address and a working phone number?
   They should.
4. Research the company on google and type the word “scam” next to it, do they have a clean record?
   They Should.
5. Research all of the above with a career advisor at Mohawk College. Have you connected with a Career Advisor/Coach?
   You can! Book an appointment today with the Student and Grad Employment team via CareerReady

You can contact Hussam Eldib, International Student Career Advisor, for more information via hussam.eldib [at] mohawkcollege.ca (email)

For more information check out these websites:

Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre - The Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre collects information on fraud and identity theft. They provide information on past and current scams affecting Canadians.
Little Black Book of Scams – An overview of scams and how to avoid them.