Employment scams are on the rise, and we want to help you stay safe during your job search. We are aware that several fraudulent postings—some impersonating Drake Career Services, Financial Aid, or Drake alumni—have been emailed directly to students. These emails often look official and may even feature the Drake logo.

Please exercise caution when applying for or accepting positions. Students are encouraged to research the employer to protect against fraudulent postings.

Here are key red flags to watch for:

• Unfamiliar Email Addresses or URLs: Always check the email address and website URL. Does something look off? The official Career Services email is career.services@drake.edu, or you may get something from your college’s career services liaison. Check Starfish to verify your liaison.
• Grammar & Typos: Spelling errors, poor grammar, or awkward phrasing are common warning signs.
• Immediate Offers: If you get an immediate job offer without going through an application or interview process or directly talking to someone from the company, it is likely a scam.
• Financial Requests: Any request that asks you to share your bank information, handle cash or credit transactions remotely, or to pay a fee prior to starting work, is a major red flag.
• “Too Good to be True”: If the pay and benefits are extremely high or seem “too good to be true,” be wary.

If you receive a suspicious email with these red flags, do not click on any links in the email. Report it immediately to ITS using the ITS Phishing Alert button. See here for how to report a phishing message.

When in doubt, don’t hesitate to reach out to your Career Services liaison to review job opportunities before taking action!

— Amanda Martin, Career Services