Don't Get Scammed

Don't Get Scammed

Familiarizing Yourself With Scams

Though Handshake is a trusted recruitment platform, job search scams can occur, as with any other online platform. If a position or job offer seems too good to be true, it probably isn't true. If you feel uncomfortable with some of the requested information or if something does not seem right, either back away or proceed with extreme caution.

When applying to any position, and before giving any personal information, it is always best to research an employer thoroughly by reviewing their website.

Check and Money Order Scams

The underlying premise of this scam is based on the victim "receiving a check or money order, depositing the item in your bank account, and, demonstrating your ability to follow instructions quickly." The victim purchases something and forwards the remainder of the funds through a wire service (Moneygram or Western Union) to another person (the scammer). Later, when the check bounces because it is a counterfeit, the victim realizes that the money they have forwarded was their own money, which is now lost from their account.

A legitimate job or company will NEVER ask you to send money to them.

Learn More

You can read more about this frequent scam on the Federal Trade Commission's Fake Check Scams page.

Scams from "UCSB" Addresses

Every year, a scam comes from a hacked UCSB email address or someone who claims to be a UCSB staff member. The offer is generally incredible, offering a large pay and easy work, and because it seems to come from a UCSB department, students will believe the job posting. Again, too good to be true. These do not come from Handshake, they are usually sent directly by the scammer. Most campus job postings are not sent by BCC'ing 250 student emails. Offers for jobs posted in Handshake and approved by Career Services always come from Handshake via your notification setup. Sometimes you can find discrepancies: the email ends in @gmail.com instead of @ucsb.edu; there is a reference to a department, but the name is slightly wrong such as "The Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering for The University of California"; or you can't find the staff's title on the department website, such as "Dean of College Business." Check by calling the department first. Do not use any phone number in the email; look up the department number yourself. Phone numbers in scam emails either do not connect or are part of the scam.

Job Search Safety Tips

Here are some common red flags that may indicate you have encountered a job scam:

• You are hired without ever interviewing or meeting your potential employer.
• There are multiple misspellings in the job description and correspondence with the employer.
• At the time of hire, the employer tells you they are traveling internationally and need you to be their assistant and run errands for them.
• You are asked to give your credit card, bank, or PayPal/Venmo account numbers.
• You are asked to send a payment by wire service or courier or transfer money.
• You are offered a large payment or reward in exchange for allowing the use of your bank account-often depositing checks or transferring money.
• You may receive an unexpectedly large check, be promised a considerable salary for very little work, or be offered an extremely high salary compared to similar positions.
• You are asked for personal information, such as your social security number, or asked to complete a background check before being interviewed for the position.
• You may be requested to send a photocopy of your ID (e.g., driver's license) to "verify your identity."
• The posting appears to come from a legitimate company or organization, but the contact's email address does not match the company's website domain (e.g., jdoe@gmail.com rather than jdoe@companyname.com).
• The job posting doesn't match the job's responsibilities; instead, it focuses on how much money you will make.
• The position requires upfront fees.

What to Do About Suspicious Postings

If you encounter suspicious postings in Handshake, think you may have experienced a check scam, or receive a phishing email that contains a job offer for a position to which you have not applied, it is essential to take action.

Here are your next steps to take action:

1. Report your experience to Career Services at careerhelp@sa.ucsb.edu or (805) 893-4412.
2. End all communication with the employer, and if personal information was disclosed, monitor or block your accounts.
3. Contact the campus police and report the fraud or scam.
4. If you have sent money to a fraudulent employer, contact your bank or credit card company immediately to close your account and dispute the charges.
5. If you receive a phishing email at your UCSB email address or email from a UCSB address, contact UCSB IT Security at security@ucsb.edu and send them the hidden header of your email by following the instructions on their webpage.
6. File an incident report with the FCC at 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357), with the U.S. Department of Justice or The Internet Crime Complaint Center.