Career Services

There is a growing trend in job (and internship) scams targeting college students. Fake job postings abound in unsolicited emails and in online job listing sites especially on social media. Fake jobs can be attempts to steal your personal information or steal money.

Jobs that sound too good to be true should raise a red flag for anyone. Some job scams are easy to spot while others appear to be legitimate, but unfortunately, scammers are able to “spoof” email addresses so that their emails “appear” to be coming from a legitimate email  account when they are actually coming from the scammer’s email account.

So how do you know who to trust? You can start with these basic guidelines to avoid a potential scam.

Never:

• Never respond to a job or internship offer from an employer claiming to be working with or for the College without checking first with the Career Service Office at career-services@raider.rose.edu or (405) 736-0242.
• Never give out personal information like your social security or bank account number over email or phone.
• Never take cashier’s checks or money orders as a form of payment. Fake checks are common and the bank where you cash it will hold you accountable.
• Never cash a check that comes with “extra” money and do not buy gift cards and send bar codes at an employer's request. Scammers send checks that require you to deposit a check at your bank, withdraw the “extra” money as cash, and then deposit that cash elsewhere. The check will bounce and you will be held accountable.
• Never wire funds via Western Union, MoneyGram or any other service. Anyone who asks you to wire money is a scammer.
• Never apply for jobs listed by someone far away or in another country.
• Never agree to a background check unless you have met the employer in person.
• Never apply for a job that is emailed to you out of the blue.

Always:

• Beware when money is required up front for a job (e.g., application fee).
• Be leery when the job posting claims "no experience necessary."
• Be skeptical. If a job is offering a lot of money for very little work, it could be a scammer trying to get personal information from you.
• Research the employer. Do they have a reputable website or professional references? Is the job listing you want to apply for also on their main career page?
• Meet face-to-face with a potential employer. An in person interview or informal chat over coffee will help you determine the employer’s intentions.
• Be sure to choose a public place to meet, tell someone where you are going and bring your cell phone, just in case.
• Research the employer to ensure they are authentic. Do they have a reputable website or professional references? Is the job listing you want to apply for also on their main career page? Contact the Better Business Bureau to determine the legitimacy of the company.
• Trust your instincts. If a job sounds too good to be true, it is likely a scam.
• Common Job Scams Targeting College Students:
• Mystery shoppers
• Working from home
• Repackaging or shipping from home
• Issuing checks/check processing from home
• Model/talent agencies
• Pyramid sales schemes
• Assembling crafts/products

If you think a job listing on the Rose State College job board is suspicious, let us know career-services@raider.rose.edu or 405-736-0242.

Our goal is to provide accurate job listing information on our website; however, we make no representations or guarantees about positions posted by our office. You are responsible for your own safety, wages and working conditions.