Job posting scams

Protect yourself from job posting scams

There are many fraudulent employment scams that target university students across North America.

Although UBC Centre for Student Involvement and Careers screens all job postings to filter out questionable employers or job postings, it is important that students are also alert to the warning signs of job posting scams and take appropriate action to protect themselves and their privacy.

Familiarize yourself with how to avoid job posting scams before you continue to CareersOnline, the online platform for UBC students.

Recognize the warning signs

Check for the following warning signs before applying to any job:

  • The job description or posting contains poor grammar or spelling.
  • The company uses a free email domain, such as @hotmail or @gmail.
  • You are not able to contact or identify the person posting.
  • Email domain listed on the posting does not match the company website domain or is misspelled.
  • The phone number of the company is unlisted or not available when you call.
  • The company website only includes the job posting info and no information about the company.
  • You are offered the job without submitting a resume or being interviewed.
  • The company requests for:
    • Your personal information, such as your SIN, photo identification, date of birth
    • Access to your bank account
    • Initial investment, cash checks, e-transfers, or wire money
  • The company asks you to purchase a gift card, such as a card from Best Buy, and give them the numbers on the cards.

Be sure to research all job postings carefully. Verify that the job exists and visit the company’s official website. You can even call the company to confirm.

Know your employment rights

Report job scams

If you suspect a job posting on CareersOnline is fraudulent, please contact recruit.talent@ubc.ca immediately. We will work with you to identify an appropriate course of action.

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