Identifying Fraudulent Job Postings

Fraudulent job postings are increasingly common in virtual realms. When evaluating a job, it is important to research the position and organization thoroughly before accepting any offers. If something feels off about a job posting or an organization, trust yourself and do your research. 

A note on campusBRIDGE: 

The Career Centre reviews and approves all jobs posted to campusBRIDGE, however scam postings may sometimes slip through. If you find a job posting on campusBRIDGE and suspect it is a scam, do not hesitate to let us know by emailing the job posting name to campusBRIDGE@ualberta.ca.

How to determine if a job posting is fraudulent

Conduct a quick scan

If a job posting, job offer, or offer letter includes any of the following, it may be a scam. 

  • Email domain does not match the organization website 
    • For example, the organization website is LouisVuitton.com but the email is jobs@LouisVuutton.com. 
  • They headhunted you, without you applying to their posting 
    • Unless you are in a highly specialized field most new graduates will not be headhunted for positions. 
  • They are asking for banking information or your Social Insurance Number (SIN)
    • Most employers will not ask for your bank information or your SIN before you have accepted a job.
  • They ask if you are familiar with online banking  
  • They ask you to pay or provide an initial investment before working 
    • This may be through bank transactions or cryptocurrency like Bitcoin.
    • They may ask you to purchase expensive equipment before working. 
  • They want to hire immediately or without an interview
    • To determine your suitability for a job, employers will interview you before offering you a job. 
    • If you have not completed any kind of interview, research the organization. Most companies perform some type of in-person, video, or phone interview. If you have only communicated through text/email, reach out to the organization to request an interview if possible. 
  • Unprofessional language and grammatical errors
    • Most companies hire HR staff and other professionals to write job postings and offer letters to ensure accuracy. 
Do some more research

For a more in-depth look into a job posting and the posting organization, you may consider doing some of the following: 

  • Find the job posting on the organization’s website
    • Note: Some companies do not have a careers page or may choose to post exclusively through a job posting platform like campusBRIDGE or LinkedIn.
  • Check the phone number listed
    • If the job posting or recruiter has included a phone number, check to see if it is a known scam number. 
    • Try to call the number to see if it leads to an organization number or a personal one. 
  • Check the physical address of the organization
    • If the job posting or recruiter has included an address, look it up on Google Maps to check if it is a real address; is it an office or personal residence? 
  • Check the organization’s online presence
  • Read organization reviews
    • Find reviews made by previous employees on LinkedIn or Glassdoor.
    • Sometimes companies post fake reviews. You will notice these especially if they were all posted around the same time, use similar language, or are all 4- or 5-star reviews. 
  • Check the website domain information
    • There are multiple websites you can use to check when the website domain was created or when it was last updated. 
  • Come to the Career Centre
    • If you are unsure about the legitimacy of the job posting, reach out to us for a second opinion! 
Follow these other quick tips

When you are applying to positions, there are a few more best practices to follow:

  • When possible, avoid providing any personal information like your driver’s license, Social Insurance Number, or banking information prior to accepting a job offer.
  • Trust your gut: if it seems too good to be true, it probably is. 
  • If you are suspicious of a posting, reach out to the Career Centre.

What to do if you've given information to a scam organization

Employers will usually wait until after you complete an interview and accept a job offer to request your driver’s license, Social Insurance Number, or direct deposit information. If you have given personal information to what you suspect is a scam organization there are a few steps you can take to try to protect yourself:

Request your information be destroyed and stop contact
Email the organization and request that they delete any of your information in their possession. If you talk to the organization over the phone, send them an email outlining what was discussed and explicitly stating your request. This will ensure you have a record of communication. Keep any text or chat messages that document your request.
Monitor your bank account
Keep an eye on your bank account for fraudulent charges that may come up. Consider setting up text or email security alerts.
Immediately alert your bank to any fraudulent charges
If you find a fraudulent charge has taken place, immediately call your bank and alert them to the charges. Cancel and replace your cards and continue monitoring the account.
Ask your bank for recommendations and report it so your credit score is not impacted
Reach out to your bank and discuss that you suspect a fraudulent organization has your information and may use it. They will provide suggestions to protect your accounts, identity, and credit score.
Report job scams to Service Alberta or the Edmonton Police Service
Both the government and city police keep track of scams. Others may have also been victimized, so reporting the scam can help protect others.

Additional Resources 

Still unsure about a Job Posting?
If you are in doubt about the legitimacy of a job posting or want to report a job posting, let us know at: yourcareercentre@ualberta.ca or call 780-492-4291.