Recently, several instances of phishing scams have been reported, targeting students with fake offers of employment, contracts, or scholarships from humanitarian aid organizations including World Vision and UNICEF.

These are referred to as “job bait scams”. In some instances, scammers have been targeting departments to send these fraudulent employment or scholarship opportunities to students. 

The scammers may use the logos of these organizations along with convincing looking email addresses or names to appear legitimate. The scammers are trying to collect personal information or money from victims. These types of scams have been reported by several universities and institutions, and UNICEF has issued a warning on its careers website. 

Any email offering you, or a student, an employment or a scholarship opportunity should be treated with skepticism. 

Do some research, such as:

• Can you find the job posting or scholarship opportunity posted on the organization’s website
• Are their existing scam reports about this opportunity on the internet
• Is the email domain the same as the email addresses published on the website
• Does it seem too good to be true

No one should ever have to pay to apply for a job. You should never have to open a special bank account or apply for a credit card. A legitimate employer will almost never make you buy supplies, memberships, or subscriptions from them. 

If in doubt, talk to someone you trust. 

If you are aware of or suspect you have been the target of a “job bait scam” you should report the email to IT Services at Queen's University. If you have provided any personal or banking information to scammers you should change your passwords, talk to your bank, and monitor online and bank accounts for any suspicious activity. 

More information is available at the Career Services Phishing & Job Scams webpage.