Be Scam Savvy

Although fraudulent job postings circulate throughout the year, we expect to see an increase as we approach the Spring/Summer period, which is the most popular time for students to seek out employment opportunities during their studies. 

As technology improves, it can become more difficult to determine if a job offer is legitimate. Some scammers will even spoof University of Alberta staff and student email accounts to make their positions seem lore legitimate.

Edmonton Police Service has some great tips to hone your sleuthing skills, but here are some key elements to watch for: 

• If it sounds too good to be true, it typically is,

• The offered wage is higher or lower than the average wage for that job; check current wages on the internet,

• You are asked to submit personal information including, but not limited to your Social Insurance Number, banking information, a photo of your license, or a headshot (this is not standard practice), 

• The job posting contains many grammatical and spelling errors,

• You didn't submit your application to their official career website, and/or

• Your online resume was the only document needed for the organization to extend an offer of employment (the vast majority of North American positions require a resume and cover letter at minimum).

Not sure if you received a scam email? Do not click any links or respond.