Don’t get scammed during your job search! Tips for avoiding fraudulent employers and job postings

Among the many ways that cybercriminals try to target SUNY New Paltz students, staff and alumni is through fraudulent job and internship postings. This message offers a few simple steps to avoiding these scams and keeping yourself and our campus community secure.

 

If you don’t recognize a source, be skeptical

If you receive an email about a professional opportunity from someone with whom you are unfamiliar, please do not reply to the message or share it with any students, alumni, faculty or staff.

If you think the opportunity may be legitimate but are unsure, you can forward it to the Career Resource Center (CRC) at careers@newpaltz.edu. The CRC will vet the employer/opportunity and determine whether or not the employer can be trusted.

 

Career Resource Center Guidelines to Help Protect Yourself

The Career Resource Center has published guidelines for how to avoid fraudulent employers and postings on Handshake and other job/internship platforms. That resource guide includes these tips:

If you receive an email that meets any of the following criteria, it may not be a real job offer. Do not click on any links in that email and do not provide any personal information.

Beware of any correspondence if it:

Offers you a job without ever interacting with you (interviewing or providing a contract)

Offers to pay a large amount for almost no work or sends you a check for wages or supplies before you do any work

Wants you to transfer money from one account to another OR send payment by wire service/courier OR from your personal account

Asks you to give your credit card or bank account numbers or copies of personal documents

Uses a personal email account, such as Gmail, Hotmail, etc. or an email that is not consistent with other company emails or the company URL

Additional guidance for avoiding employment scams targeting college students is available from the FBI.  

 

Disclaimer: The Career Resource Center makes no representations or guarantees about full-time, part-time, or internship positions listed on Handshake; and the Career Resource Center is not responsible for safety, wages, working conditions, or other aspects of employment. If you have any questions or concerns about your internship search or your experience at a current internship, please call the Career Resource Center at 845-257-3265 or email the CRC at careers@newpaltz.edu.