Avoid online employment scams

Watch the speling and gramar

We all make mistakes when it comes to language, but that's why employers have someone proofread and approve all outgoing communications. An ad, email or offer that is full of spelling, grammar or syntax errors is often a sign of an international scam.

Other signs to watch out for: email addresses or URLs that have nonsense letter or number strings in them, and emails that do not come from the company's domain. For example, an email from Company XYZ would typically come from an email address ending in @xyz.com (rather than a free email service), and would contain a name or department (i.e. jsmith@xyz.com or hr@xyzsmith.com).

There's a problem with your account

You've got your resume posted on a few online job search websites as part of your job search strategy, but then you receive an email saying there is a problem with your account. You need to download a software upgrade or click on a link to verify some information. While this may seem like good customer service, it's more likely to be a scam. These "phishing" scams are often tried with banks, and with great success for scammers.

If you receive one of these emails, do not click on any links, open any attachments or download any files. There could be viruses or harmful softwares (i.e. malware) waiting to infect your computer. Any links in the email may lead to copy-cat websites that look like real thing, but don't be fooled by appearances. Avoid giving out any personal information online or through email.