UT Dallas > University Career Center > Comets We Serve > Guidelines to Avoid Online Scams

Guidelines to Avoid Online Scams

While the UCC does not knowingly accept fraudulent job postings, false job listings may appear from time to time. False job listings are typically used to illegally collect personal information from job seekers or facilitate other forms of illegal activity.

How can you tell if a job is legitimate?

How can you tell if a job posting is legitimate? Does a job offer sound too good to be true? Or did you receive a message from someone offering you a job you didn’t apply to? We have put together this list of tips for avoiding fraudulent jobs and scams to ensure your job search process is as positive as possible.

  • Online scams and attempts to collect personal data are prevalent. Beware of unsolicited job offers
  • It is important to ALWAYS safeguard your personal information
  • Be cautious of sending your address or other identifying information to unknown contacts
  • NEVER provide your Social Security Number, Bank Account info, or other sensitive information, via email
  • NEVER respond to requests for check deposits, package pickups, or money transfers
  • A legitimate employer will never ask for your bank account information, a payment for background checks or fees, or money transfers via email
  • The only time an employer should ask for your bank account information is after you have accepted an offer and are filling out payroll forms
  • A legitimate employer will ALWAYS ask you to fill out tax forms. We strongly advise against participating in any employment where taxes are not withheld
  • Unfortunately, scammers can be very savvy at avoiding detection and finding ways to email or call potential victims. Be cautious when using job boards and social media

What the UCC Does

  • The UCC does not share student email addresses. We follow additional steps to safeguard information within Handshake
  • We have public profiles turned off by default in Handshake so that employers only see active applicant information
  • We do not share student information or provide employers with resume books
  • We follow a multi-step verification process for new employer registrations
  • We allow employers to post only Full-time, degree-required jobs and internships (which meet Department of Labor standards)
  • The Handshake system includes a peer notification system so colleagues at other colleges and universities may notify us of suspicious activity. The system also uses geolocation to verify ip addresses along with a checklist to review suspicious postings

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