Tips for Avoiding Employment Scams

Finding employment can be a major stressor for college students; trying to find a position that aligns with your class schedule, is geographically convenient and is financially worthwhile is not easy.  Many students turn to social media platforms to search for hidden job markets and these sites pose an increased risk for fraudulent listings, as there is no verification method for the listings. Recently, employment scammers created accounts targeting Fanshawe students by mirroring our naming, branding and writing style. It can be difficult to determine which sources are trustworthy and which are not.

We're Here For You!

Fanshawe's Employment and Student Entrepreneurial Services (ESES) office screens employers and jobs before they are posted through Fanshawe, but students are still urged to do their own research on potential employers and especially to beware of jobs on external sites (where Fanshawe has not had a chance to review the posting first).

Students and recent alumni can take advantage of the free job site through FanshaweOnline > Online Resources > Career/Co-op/CCR. 

If you encounter anything fraudulent or if you have doubts, please contact your Career Consultant to discuss these job offers. Visit our team at the London Campus in D1063 or connect with them via chat.

Not a Fanshawe student? That is ok, our community members can take advantage of support through our Community Employment Services located in East London and Downtown London, St. Thomas and Simcoe.

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Here are some tips to protect you from employment scams

Protect your personal information

• Do not send personal information to anybody you haven’t met directly – never share your banking PIN, credit card number, date of birth or username/password and be very careful about sharing your contact information, bank account number, etc. Never provide personal information by telephone, internet or by email!
• Keep your access codes, user ID, passwords and PINs secret; do not write down any passwords or carry them with you
• Protect your Social Insurance Number (SIN); do not use it as a piece of ID and never reveal it to anyone unless you are certain the person asking for it is legally entitled to that information

Be Aware of Job Application and Posting Security

• You do not need to provide your SIN when applying for a job; the employer will only need it once you are hired 
• Be cautious about job postings that involve package forwarding, money transfers or wiring funds; you may end up becoming involved in criminal activities
• Do not accept jobs through social media (e.g., WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook)
• Be suspicious of anyone offering more than $18 per hour for front-line customer service-type work

Prevent Fraudulent Activity

• Be careful before you click on links in any email you receive; some criminals may be using a technique known as phishing to steal your personal information when you click on the link
• Caller ID is a useful function, but criminals can alter the information displayed; never use only the displayed information alone to confirm the identity of the caller, whether it be an individual, a company or a government entity
• Do not deposit cheques to your account without verifying the validity of the cheque or the sender first
• If it sounds too good to be true, it is not true; use caution

Keep Your Accounts and Cards Secure

• Keep your address current with all government departments and agencies
• Carry only the ID you need and immediately report lost or stolen cards (e.g., credit or debit cards, government ID cards, membership cards, etc.)
• Pay attention to your accounts billing cycle and ask about any missing account statements or suspicious transactions

These tips are especially important when deciding who to connect with and what to share with others, when responding to job postings and invitations to connect from potential employers, and when reviewing and acting on information that an employer sends to you.

Remember, whatever support you need on your job hunt, Fanshawe is here for you! 

• Career Services for students and recent alumni
• Community Employment Services for our surrounding communities

If you believe you have been the victim of fraud, you can contact Campus Security Services by calling 519-452-4400 or attend the Security Control Centre, room D1027. You can also report scams to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre online or by telephone at 1-888-495-8501.