Job posting scams

Protect yourself from job posting scams

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

Although UBC Career Centre 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. Learn about cyber-attacks and phishing attempts with tips to help you protect your online information.

Recognize the warning signs

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

  • The employer asks you to buy gift cards from companies like Best Buy, Amazon, or iTunes, and then asks you for the numbers on the cards.
  • The job description or posting contains poor grammar or spelling.
  • The company uses a generic email domain, such as Gmail or Hotmail, or their email address does not match the company website domain.
  • You are not able to contact or verify the hiring manager on the company website, LinkedIn, or Google.
  • The job promises high income for little effort.
  • The job has an expedited hiring process, often without a face-to-face/phone conversation or interview.
  • The company asks you to:
    • Provide your personal information, such as your SIN, photo identification, or date of birth, before a formal offer.
    • Access your bank account and/or credit card information.
    • Receive money, transfer money, cash cheques, buy bitcoin, or other forms of currency.
    • Be responsible for any financial transactions with your own funds.

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 stop all communication with the employer and contact recruit.talent@ubc.ca immediately. We will work with you to identify an appropriate course of action.

You can report a crime in the ways below:

  • Contact UBC RCMP.
  • Report fraud to your financial institution directly.
skip to content

On this page

Back to top