Phishing is a common ploy used by cyber thieves to secure personal information such as home address, date of birth, social security/identification number, and bank account numbers. Students and job seekers are often targets of cyber thieves. 

Phishing emails are one of the most common forms of online scams. These emails are made to look like they are sent by a legitimate company or organization, including Inotiv, by forging the sender’s email address or using the name, logo, and graphic of a legitimate company. 

• Sender’s email address assumes the appearance of a legitimate email address of a known organization or known email contact 

• Email message addresses you generically, i.e., User, Customer, Client, Member, or Sir/Madam

• Sender’s message may also include attachments that you have to open or download

• Sender requests that you respond to the email with your personal information 

• Be wary of unsolicited offers of employment. 

Ascertain your source. If you speak to someone over the phone about a job opportunity, ask questions and note down information such as the name of the person, the company they represent, the location where they work, their office contact details, and the opening they have. Go to the company website “Contact Us” page and email or speak to someone from the company to verify your source. 

• Always check the information provided in the email as it could be a phishing email. 

Verify sender’s email address. Emails tend to follow specific structures. Cyber thieves often use an email address or URL that looks legitimate. For example, instead of inotivco.com, you may see inotivcocareers.com, inotivco-co.com, inotivco@yahoo.com, inotivco-Inc@gmail.com, or other variations. These are not legitimate addresses and are signs of a phishing scam. 

Conduct your own research by checking the email address of the sender against a bona fide email address provided in the company websites. You can also send a message from the “Contact Us” page or email a contact indicated in the “Careers” page of the company to verify the information. 

• Do not click on the hyperlink provided by a sender whose email address you do not recognize. 

Check the legitimacy of the URL provided by the sender. To access the company’s actual website, research the prospective recruiter or employee’s URL through a search engine. 

• Do not provide your personal data in response to an email. 

Do not share your personal data. Do not email, fax, or provide personal information over the phone. Personal information can include: bank account number, credit card number with security code, account user name and password, date of birth, driver’s license number, and full social security/identification number. Such information is typically requested by the hirer only at the end of a formal hiring process, i.e., after in-person interviews, an offer of employment, and the signing of an employment contract. 

• Beware of anyone who asks for your credit card number or check payment in order to pursue an opportunity. 

Do not transfer any money or send a personal check to pursue an employment opportunity with Inotiv or any other company. Legitimate employers will never need money from a potential employee for submitting a resume or for processing background checks or credit reports. 

If you are paying for job placement services, do not provide payment information through emails. When possible, payment for these services should be done on-site at the agency whose services are being used. 

• Other red flags should be raised when:

• Someone asks to conduct an interview over an “instant message” or “chat” connection

• Emails from prospective employers contain typos and grammatical errors

• Emails from a prospective employer seek your response by offering 100% work-at-home jobs 

If you suspect that you have received a job phishing email or scam relating to an opportunity with Inotiv, please email us at recruiting@inotiv.com or visit the “Contact” page to send us an email. Provide us with specific information such as who contacted you, how you were contacted (by phone, email, or other), and any other details. If possible, please forward the phishing email to us. Inotiv’s Talent Acquisition representatives will then determine whether the information you received is legitimate or a phishing scam. 

 If you have been a victim of this scam or any other internet-related scam, you may file a complaint with the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at www.IC3.gov.