While searching for a job on Handshake, it is important to confirm that the employer you are considering is legitimate before further engaging or sharing any personal information with them.
Handshake uses wide range of fraud detection methods to screen out fraudulent employers, including automatic checks, blocking known suspect email domains, and utilizing internal alerts for mismatched domains. Tufts staff members screen employer requests, as well, before companies are permitted to recruit Tufts students on Handshake. These measures have helped ensure fraudulent activity is very rare on the platform (0.006% or only 1 in every 18,000 employers).
However, very rarely we do discover companies that have slipped through the cracks and reveal themselves to be scams. When searching through jobs on Handshake, keep in mind that employers should never ask you for any personal information (e.g. social security number, banking information, etc.) prior to you accepting a job offer.
If you discover that you have engaged with a fraudulent company, you can follow Handshake’s recommended courses of action: What To Do If You’ve Given Your Personal Information To A Fraudulent Employer.
To avoid this risk, there are some steps that we recommend students take to review jobs and companies on Handshake before submitting an application or sharing any personal information with a recruiter– see below for our tips:
Tips To Screen Employers:
- Research the company and the recruiter. Check out the company website to see what you can learn about their culture and their business model. If they have a list of staff members, see if you can find the name of the recruiter listed on the job posting.
- Familiarize yourself with common job scams. Forbes has a great article here.
- If something feels “too good to be true”, be suspicious. “Make $300 in a day from home”. Large sums of money for minimal work is a common tactic that a scammer will use to lure students in and steal your information. If a job seems “too good to be true,” flag that employer so Handshake can investigate immediately and protect you from being potentially scammed. You can click here to learn how to flag an employer.
- Never cash a check for, or give any money to, an employer. A common technique of Internet scammers is to ask you to cash a check at a bank, and then return some of that money to the employer while you get to keep some of the cash for yourself. This is a scam. No reputable employer will require you to pay for anything on your own, or cash a check on their behalf, before starting your job. If you receive an email asking you to do anything remotely like this, flag the employer immediately and contact your city’s Better Business Bureau.
- Be wary of an employer who offers you a job before even speaking with you. Any reputable employer normally requires an interview (and more) before hiring. If you have any questions or concerns, flag the employer and Handshake will investigate.
If you ever have questions about the legitimacy of an employer or an employer request, please do not hesitate to reach out to the Career Center with your questions.
