CESblogs

Work from home and make up to $800 a day!

Attend our seminar to learn how to operate a successful business! (we invite you to read testimonials from success stories)

We work exclusively with top companies hiring for entry-level positions! (all you need to do is pay our monthly fee and we’ll help connect you with them)

Have you seen/heard about these opportunities? At first glance, they might seem appealing, especially in an uncertain job market. However, they may all prove to be too good to be true! Members of the University of Puget Sound Alumni Council Career and Employment Services Committee offer tips on avoiding scams:

“Discern the source of the information, be a critical thinker; apply the critical analysis that you learn in the classroom to your job search.” Ted Meriam ’05

“If you look for opportunities on job boards (including Craigslist), note that legitimate employers will include the employer name. It’s always beneficial to then go to the employer’s website to confirm that the opportunity is available.” Lacey Leffler ’03 and Lael Carlson ’02

“Look for professionalism in the postings (spelling errors, wacky formatting may be red flags).” Shannon Hughes ’92

“Don’t consider anything that requires an up-front investment.” Lacey Leffler ’02

Quick Consumer Tip from the Consumer Protection Agency: “A deal that sounds too good to be true usually is! Be wary of promises to fix your credit problems, low-interest credit card offers, deals that let you skip credit card payments, work-at-home job opportunities, risk-free investments, and free travel.”

Many reputable job boards offer security information to their users. For example, Monster.com’s security center offers advice on “avoiding online fraud.”

Other resources to check out:

CES Job Seeker Beware

Blog post on Identifying and Avoiding Job Scams

FTC Money Matters Job-Hunting/Job Scams

Evaluating Work-at-Home Opportunities

Avoiding “Wealth Building” Schemes

If you think you have been the victim of a job search scam or any other fraud, it is important to report the fraud to the local police department. You may also consider filing a report online with the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3). In the meantime, be safe, be savvy, and protect yourself.