Guidelines to Avoid Online Scams

How can you tell if an internship posting is legitimate?

How can you tell if an internship posting is legitimate? Does an offer sound too good to be true? Or did you receive a message from someone offering you a position you didn't apply to? We have put together this list of tips for avoiding fraudulent jobs and scams to ensure your search process is as positive as possible. Indicators an employer email may be fraudulent include:

There are typos or spelling mistakes in the email
The message is sent from a personal rather than employer email account (example: @hotmail.com rather than @thecompany'sname.com)
The "employer" asks you to send them confidential personal information or money. It is important to ALWAYS safeguard your personal information. Be cautious of sending your address or other identifying information to unknown contacts and NEVER provide your Social Security Number, Bank Account info, or other sensitive information, via email.
NEVER respond to requests for check deposits, package pickups, or money transfers.
Beware of unsolicited job offers
The only time an employer should ask for your bank account information is after you have accepted an offer and are filling out payroll forms.
A legitimate employer will ALWAYS ask you to fill out tax forms. We strongly advise against participating in any employment where taxes are not withheld.
Unfortunately, scammers can be very savvy at avoiding detection and finding ways to email or call potential victims. Be cautious when using job boards and social media.

Other Resources