Scam Alert: Job and Internship Scams

The International Center has recently received reports of some students being contacted by a job / internship scam. In this scam, students are contacted by email about a job or internship opportunity that seems quite exciting and legitimate. However, the job is not an actual job offer, but an attempt by a scammer to get students to provide their personal and financial information.

This is a reminder to be constantly aware and cautious of e-mail and phone communications you receive from different sources. Learn more about how you can protect yourself by going to our Scams and Identity Theft resource page.

What is a Job / Internship Scam?

Job and internship scams are a type of scam in which someone attempts to get your personal information, and sometimes your money, by pretending to offer a job or internship that does not really exist. The job may be posted on a bulletin board or web site, or sent to you by email. Scammers are often very skilled at pretending to be legitimate representatives of real companies or organizations, so it takes some work to identify when you might be the target of a scam.

There are different versions of job/internship scams, each using different combinations of tactics. Here are some common signs:

• The email message you receive, or the sender's email contact listed on the email, does not seem to be associated with a real company or organization but is instead linked to a private account such as a Gmail or Yahoo account
• You are offered an internship without really ever applying for it or going through a normal interview process
• You are pressured into getting started immediately on the job or internship
• You are asked to provide your personal and banking information, sometimes with the promise that you will be sent "start up" funds so you can buy equipment needed to get working on your internship quickly
• You are asked to pay for certain expenses with the promise you will be reimbursed later
• References to financial transaction sites or payment methods such as PayPal, gift card purchases, Western Union wire transfers, and other commercial sites are mentioned in the email as a part of the interview or work process

A real internship will never put you in the position of having to give out personal banking or Social Security Number information as a part of the interview or hiring process. If you are contacted with an offer for a job or internship that feels odd, trust your instincts. Do not click on any links or respond to any suspicious emails without getting an opinion from the International Center or another university source, such as the Tufts University Police Department. Scams are one of the most common problems in the internet era, and with a little caution you can avoid becoming the victim of one.