Job scams are very common amongst college students. We’re an easy target because we’re always looking for ways to make extra money in a fast and easy way. Easy money always sounds like a plus, but how do we know what jobs are legit?
The first thing we have to keep in mind is what the intention behind job scams. Emails are sent out by money laundering gangs to transfer the “bad” money to other accounts to make it disappear.
So how do we avoid job scams? What are some things we should look for in shady emails that promise us high weekly pay? Here are some tips to help you identify job scams:
Check the email address
Most job scams use free email accounts such as Gmail, Yahoo, Hotmail, etc. Keep an eye out for those addresses. Also, some scams may ask you to reply to an email address that is different from the one they sent it from, which is another indication of a job scam.
How much money are they offering you?
Since these gangs are trying to transfer money quickly, they are probably going to offer large amounts of money. If the email says you will get paid large amounts of money weekly, it is most likely a scam!
Other suspicious details…
If there is a check attached to the email, that is an IMMEDIATE sign of a job scam. The email may also ask you to provide your address so they can mail you a check. Whatever you do, DO NOT CASH THE CHECK.
If you ever receive a job scam email, avoid replying to them. Report the scam to the local police and sever all contact with that person.
Here are some additional resources you can reference for more tips on job scams:
