It is our goal to provide IU students with the best job and internship opportunities through Handshake, our online job portal. Despite our efforts to properly vet opportunities and ensure legitimacy, an occasional fraudulent job posting ends up on Handshake. Often, the purpose of scam postings is to steal your identity and/or money. It is vitally important that you know how to distinguish legitimate internship and job postings from scams. If ever in doubt, contact your career services office. Additionally, use the following information to best equip yourself while reviewing job and internship postings.
Protect yourself from fraudulent jobs
How to protect yourself from fraudulent jobs
1.Never send money to an employer or deposit a check on their behalf.
2.Do not give out your personal or banking details. If you have provided banking information, contact your bank to stop any related transactions.
3.Always research the job listing, recruiter, and company. Be aware that some fraudulent job listings will impersonate real employers.
4.If in doubt about a job posting, speak to a career coach in your school’s career services office before applying.
Additional ways to protect yourself
- Search online for the name of any company you are applying to with the words “review”, “complaint”, or “scam”. Use Glassdoor to see what you can learn. If you can’t find much about the company, or it has many complaints, consider looking for other opportunities instead.
- Do not include the following on your resume: Social Security Number; Driver’s License Number; Date of Birth
What does a fraudulent job look like?*
Fraudulent jobs can show up in many ways. Sometimes, you might find a fraudulent job posting online. Or, you might directly receive an email about a job offer. If you did not apply for any jobs, this would be your first sign that it is fraudulent. An essential part of identifying a scam is the old saying “If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is”.
More ways to stay safe
For more information on red flags to watch out for and tips to avoid fraudulent jobs, check out Handshake's Job Search Safety Guide.Tricky Methods of Fraudulent Employers
- If they ask you to pay for the job or job application, it’s a scam.
- If you are asked to pay for a “career advancement grant” for certifications or courses, it’s most likely a scam.
- If someone sends you a check for work you didn’t perform, never cash it because it’s a scam.
- Similarly, if you are offered a large amount of money for simple work, it is most likely a scam.
- If you “mistakenly” get a check too soon, then get asked to return the overpayment with gift cards or wire transfers, it’s a scam.
- Legitimate companies interview you before hiring. If someone gives you an on-the-spot job offer without an interview, or an email with an offer you didn’t apply for, it’s a scam.
- If they ask you (and/or offer to pay for you) to forward packages or money to someone you do not know, it’s a scam.
- If they ask for banking information, or ask you to send them a prepaid gift card or wire transfer, it’s a scam.
*Recommendations from an AARP discussion with Colorado Attorney General Phil Wieser.
An example fraudulent job email
From: Jeremy Siek (mariettebowdenlwj64@gmail.com)
Sent: Thursday, August 8, 2024 2:58 PM
Subject: [External] Progressive Internship Work.
NEWS UPDATE: INTERNSHIP JOB OFFER!
The Department of Computer Science at Indiana University is urgently seeking individuals who are interested in working remotely as research assistants. This position is made flexible and does not require a lot of prior experience. It is possible to accomplish tasks from the comfort of one's current location without interfering with their academic performance or your leisure time.
The weekly remuneration for those chosen for this role will range from $300 to $400. Graduate and undergraduate students from outside Indiana University are encouraged to apply regardless of their academic field.
Individuals who are interested in this position should reach out to Prof. Jeremy Siek via text message at (586) 351-9415, stating your full name, email address and department of study to receive the job description.
Don't miss out on this exciting opportunity!
Best regards,
C/o
Jeremy Siek
Title: Professor,
Department of Computer Science
Indiana University
Computer Science Office
Luddy Hall 2062
700 N. Woodlawn Avenue
Bloomington, IN 47408
United States
What is suspicious about the previous email?
In the 'From' line, the name of the sender does not match the apparent name of the email address. This is a red flag! As well, all emails from IU departments should always come from an IU email address (@iu.edu), not a personal address. This can also be seen in the 'Subject' line where the email is marked as [External].
Offering $300–$400/week for unspecified remote tasks with no experience required is a classic scam tactic. If an offer seems 'too good to be true', it likely is.
Phrases like “NEWS UPDATE” and “Don’t miss out!” are often used to pressure recipients into quick action without scrutiny. This is not always a tell on its own, but can be a red flag.
As well, the message claims to be from Indiana University but invites students from outside IU to apply, which is unusual for internal departmental roles.
Legitimate postings include clear responsibilities, qualifications, and a formal application process—not vague promises and text-message instructions. Asking students to text a personal phone number instead of using official university channels is highly irregular and alarming.