CTS Cyberbits is a monthly column on cybersecurity that contains information on how to protect yourself online and new emerging threats to be aware of. This month’s edition will cover employment scams.
Job hunting can be an exhausting task with many services and listings to comb through to find the perfect job to apply to. With the amount of emails these services send daily, it is also a frequent place for cybercriminals to attempt to deceive and defraud. These cybercriminals will send emails or post advertisements appearing to be real when in reality they are just looking to steal information or bank credentials. By keeping the following in mind, you can make your job search a safe one.
- Always check the email address of a job-related email. Does it look like a job search service you’ve signed up for? If the job is coming from within your organization does it use an email address associated with the organization? If not, treat these emails with suspicion.
- Does the email ask you to apply directly via email? Is the email it wants you to apply to a different account than the one that sent you the job listing? If you answered yes to both of these, treat this with suspicion. These are methods scammers use to hand off correspondence to a monitored email address to interact with you in an attempt to steal something.
- Be wary of providing too much information on an unofficial form. A job listing or offer should never request financial details from you directly before you are hired. Financial details and extensive personal information should only ever be submitted through an official channel after meeting with an employer and confirming their HR portal is legitimate.
- If the advertisement promises you a job if you apply or request money in exchange for a job, it is likely a scam. Employers will never reach out and promise you a job or request payment for employment.
By following these tips you can keep your job search and your personal information safe. For further information about job scams, please visit the federal consumer protection website. If you are receiving messages that you believe to be a job scam, please contact the CTS Help Desk.
-- Submitted by Campus Technology Services