Let’s say you need a way to make money but you have a busy schedule. Whether it’s too many classes or demanding commitments, there is little time to apply for a job, schedule an interview, and work a five-hour shift a few days week. If a vague flyer is found on campus saying “Online Work: Part – Full Time – Flexible Hours” students could easily be lured into a scam.

What does “Online Work” in these fliers mean? What are the students doing for money? The description of the flyer states that it is easy online work consisting of simple tasks, like reading emails and filling out online forms. All the work can supposedly be done at student’s own pace, in their spare time, from any internet connection, which sounds like the perfect job for a college student who may be juggling seven classes.

However, the flyer says that no experience is required, no computer or language skills are necessary and the work does not involve any personal contact. The flyer says the pay can be up to $12 per hour to start with. But who are you working for?

There is no phone number on the paper, just a vague web address: www.campusjobsite.com

If you go to the website, it’s easy to tell that they’re new, because all of the information on the homepage is the same as what is on the flyer. There are two blue links that read “Register Now While Available Click Here” and “More Info / FAQ Click Here.” You want to make sure to click on the latter first.

When doing so, you have some questions answered but mostly it is still the same information you have already seen. Is there an obligation? No. Is there an interview to go to? No. They do leave a link to contact information for non-members, but it leads to another website.

The FAQ page does not give the amount that has to be paid prior to starting work. It only says that the fee is small compared to the money you will be making from them. When clicking on the register link, it leads to an entirely new website again. This one is called “ssl.ClickBank.net” and it will say that your registration fee is $19.95 and can only be paid with a card.

There is no other contact information given. The registration page is practically you just giving them money.

“There is a lot similar work programs like this and they’re pyramid schemes,” said Brian Jenney of counseling resources and career services. “$12 potential to start really means that when you go on the site, you have to pay $20 to start. And they’ll just send you more flyers and you’ll get a cut from students who didn’t pay for that! So you’re just posting up a flyer to get other people to post up a flyer! That’s the only work being done here.”

The company does leave an address: 917 Lusk St / Suite 200. When it is searched on Google Maps, you find out that they are located in Boise, Idaho. Now why would a company located 652 miles from San Bruno, California be reaching out to Skyline students?

“I’ve seen this flyer at other campuses besides Skyline,” Skyline student Dave Gammad said. “I can’t believe people fell for this. It’s important to be financially stable when you’re in school, but not like that.”

Scrolling through the Google page of the location, reviews can be found about the company. With words like “spam,” “no refunds,” and “don’t do business with them,” it’s clear that most people have had unfavorable experiences with the company.

“It really breaks my heart when they take the little slip that comes with that flyer for the fact that they’re going to be disappointed,” said Miku Mendoza, commissioner of public records for associate students. “They’re going to be in his chain of disappointment.”

On a credible advertisement, here will be a stamp that will say, “Approved by (Month/Day/Year) Student Activities Office.” Any flyer without this stamp on any bulletin or wall around the campus cannot be trusted until screened by the Student Activities Office.

For those in need of a job, the career center will not hesitate to offer their services to help. Their hours are Mondays to Thursdays from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and Fridays from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.