NIC students have reported being targeted by fake job offer scams, putting them in financial and legal risk.
What does a job offer scam look like?
Job offer scams typically work like this: someone contacts you, usually by email, and invites you to apply for or start a job. These job offers are almost always unsolicited—meaning you never applied or interviewed for the job. In some cases, the scam starts with someone offering to help you with your resume or find a placement in a job.
There are many different kinds of scams. On the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) website, you can read about a common scam targeting college students, where you are sent a fake check and asked to handle, transfer, or spend the money for seemingly legitimate purposes like ordering office supplies.
But the money is an illusion. Although you may receive a check, that check will typically bounce. Depending on how you are directed to use the money, you could even be charged with a crime like money laundering or credit card fraud. Many college students are anxious about finding a job, and these scams use tactics meant to trigger those anxieties.
If someone contacts you with an unexpected job offer, here are some things to look for to determine if it’s a scam.
Scams are generic
“Dear student,” one scam email begins, “We got your contact through your school directory…”
Emails that don’t mention specifics like your name or the school you attend are kept general so they can be sent to many people at once. It is highly uncommon for a company to offer a job to a large group of people, especially when those people haven’t applied or interviewed.
Job offer scams might also include generic job descriptions like “organize items orders [sic]” or “[write] detailed reports,” and sometimes include no job description at all.
Scams are unsolicited
“You are selected from your school directory to partake in the ongoing Student Empowerment Program PART TIME JOB OFFER…” reads another scam email.
Any student who has applied for jobs knows the market can be competitive. And just as companies don’t typically offer jobs to a large number of people, they also don’t typically select those people at random.
If you receive an offer for a job you didn’t apply for, and they claim to have found you through “your school directory” or “your school job search,” you are most likely the target of a scam.
Scams are too good to be true
One scam email mentions “Dr. Eugene Zafra” (no company listed) encourages you to “Work 8 hours weekly and get paid $500” for a personal assistant position.
Job offer scams entice with unbelievably good pay for very easy work—something that just isn’t that common in the real job market.
Scams have spelling and grammar errors
Emails from reputable companies will, at a minimum, have little or no spelling or grammar errors. An abundance of errors in spelling or grammar is a definite red flag.
The following are all quotes from real job offer scams:
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“Accompanied by an attractive wages and a reasonable working hours per week.”
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“Do not need a transportable mechanism as all needed task can be done online.”
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“Receive detailed invoice showing all products ordered for are correct and in place.”
Scammers impersonating NIC
Sometimes scammers may impersonate instructors, advisors, deans or other members of the NIC community to trick students and employees into giving up personal information. This can also take the form of a fake job offer.
As a rule, students are only hired for NIC student jobs through official NIC channels.
To protect yourself from job scams involving someone pretending to be a part of the NIC community, do not respond to any offers coming from an unofficial email address (that is, any email address that doesn't end in @nic.edu), or an unofficial communication channel like a text message, even if the sender claims to be someone you know from NIC.
Stay safe!
Look for these signs, and use your best judgement.
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If the offer seems too good to be true, it probably is a scam.
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If the offer was unsolicited, it is probably a scam.
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If you feel uncomfortable with a message you receive, it is probably a scam. Trust your instincts.
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Time sensitive emails or emails that seem to pressure you or want you to take an immediate action should be suspicious.
When in doubt, please forward the email to the NIC IT Help Desk at helpdesk@nic.edu to help you validate if the email is a scam or not.