Tech Tip: How to Avoid Job Scams

“You’re just too good to be true
Can’t take my eyes off of you…”

– Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons

If your heart sings when you get an email, think twice.

Scammers often send phishing emails containing “job opportunities” to students that offer high weekly wages, flexible scheduling, and other enticing qualities. Many people get caught up in the excitement of receiving such an enticing offer, but chances are, as Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons would say, it’s just too good to be true.

Below is an example of a job scam email, and chances are one might find its way into your inbox. Notice the information highlighted in red:

  • Generic greeting
  • Unidentified university affiliation
  • High weekly pay and low hours
  • Poor grammar
  • Request for A LOT of personal information
  • Request for illegal information
    • *Employers cannot request information that may be used to discriminate against potential candidates. Some include but are not limited to age, sex, and race.
  • The signature contains no identifying information
  • Requests to click links, attachments, or downloads
    • Never click anything in suspicious emails

Though this is only one example of a job scam, most phishing messages have similar qualities that make them easy to spot. Not sure that email is a legitimate job offer? Always check with a reputable source like the better business bureau to make sure the company exists and forward any phishy emails to abuse@uwm.edu to figure out if they are legitimate.

Looking for a great student job? Visit Handshake or contact UWM Career Planning & Resource Center directly with questions about legitimate job opportunities.

Have more questions about Job Scams? Visit our cybersecurity website!