Protect Yourself from Job Search Scams

Finding internships, co-ops, and full-time roles is one of the most exciting parts of your journey at CDS—but it’s also an area where online job scams are growing at an alarming pace.

Recent reports highlight how quickly these scams have accelerated:

  • $90 million in job scam losses were reported in 2020. By 2024, that number had soared to $501 million (Washington Post, March 21, 2025).
  • Scam reports nearly tripled, from 38,000 to more than 105,000 in the same timeframe (Federal Trade Commission, Consumer Alert, July 2025).
  • Text-based job scams alone cost U.S. consumers $470 million in 2024 (People Magazine, March 2025).
  • Scammers now use AI-generated job postings, deepfake interviews, and fake recruiter identities to appear legitimate (Burnett Specialists blog, February 2025).

For students entering the job market, these trends make vigilance essential.

Common Job Scam Tactics Students Should Know

Online job scams take many forms. Watch for these warning signs:

  • Advance-fee traps – Requests for money up front for training, equipment, or “background checks.” No real job will ever ask you for money.
  • Fake job postings or impersonators – Ads that don’t appear on a company’s official careers page or recruiters using free email addresses like Gmail or Yahoo. Be especially watchful for profazerbestavros@gmail.com, which is a scammer who has been emailing CDS students during Summer 2025.
  • Task-based schemes – Victims receive small payments for “simple online tasks” but are then pressured to invest more money for higher rewards.
  • Deepfake interviews and fake recruiters – AI-altered video calls and fake LinkedIn profiles that mimic real employers.
  • Smishing and phishing – Unsolicited texts, emails, or DMs offering jobs that redirect you to malicious links.
  • A false sense of urgency - If they tell you that you must ask fast or lose the opportunity, it’s most likely a scam.
  • Job offers without interviewing - BU professors will never email you directly with a job offer you have not applied for.

How CDS Students Can Stay Safe During the Job Search

Here are practical steps every CDS student should take to protect against internship and job scams:

  1. Be skeptical of offers that sound too good to be true. If it promises hundreds of dollars a day for little effort, it’s likely a scam.
  2. Verify the posting. Always confirm the job on the company’s official website—not just on LinkedIn or third-party job boards.
  3. Check email domains. Legitimate recruiters use company domains (e.g., @company.com), not personal email addresses.
  4. Don’t rush. If you’re pressured to share personal or financial details quickly, that’s a red flag.
  5. Never pay to apply. Employers do not charge fees for interviews, onboarding, or equipment.
  6. Protect your identity. Don’t share your Social Security number, banking info, or government ID until you’ve verified the employer.
  7. Ask CDS Career Development. Bring any questionable posting or email to your advisor or cdsjobs@bu.edu.
  8. Report scams. In the U.S., file reports with the Federal Trade Commission.

What To Do If You Believe It’s a Scam

If you think you’ve encountered a fake job or internship posting, take these steps immediately:

  • Stop communicating. Do not send more money, cryptocurrency, gift cards, or personal information.
  • Save evidence. Keep all emails, texts, job postings, and payment receipts.
  • Report the scam. File a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission. If money was sent, contact your bank or credit card company immediately.
  • Alert the platform. Report fake recruiters or job ads on LinkedIn, Indeed, or Handshake.
  • Protect your identity. If personal information was shared, place a fraud alert or credit freeze with major credit bureaus.
  • Tell CDS. Share the details with a CDS Career Development advisor so we can guide you through next steps.
  • Warn your peers. Talking openly about scam experiences helps protect the CDS community.

Stay Safe, Stay Career-Ready

Your career path is too important to risk on fraudulent job postings. By staying alert, verifying opportunities, and using the support of the CDS community, you can keep your job search safe and focused on what matters most: building your future in data science and beyond.