It's no secret that tuition in the United States is expensive. Some students are tempted to work part-time to help cover their tuition costs.

BUT! Some "part-time jobs" may seem harmless, but they can actually leave you with empty wallets and emotionally draining!

Today, we'll list the top five most common pitfalls for international students working part-time jobs at American universities! Save this article to avoid pitfalls on your study abroad journey!

Campus Agents: Stepping into the "Brink of the Shady Industry"!

Keywords: Money transfer, purchasing on behalf of others, card opening, account transfer, high commissions.

Many new students are immediately pulled into "resource groups" by "seniors" upon arrival.

These groups are flooded with various part-time job offers, the most common of which are:

"Campus Agents Wanted, Easily Earn $3,000 a Month!"

"Help You Register an Account on a Website, $30 Per Order!"

To put it bluntly, they're asking you to use your identity, bank account, student ID, or credit card to "help you with operations." This is essentially skirting the law and even bordering on illegality.

Risks include, but are not limited to: bank account freezes, damaged credit, tax audits, and even visa issues!

Some "campus purchasing agents" ostensibly offer a "hard work fee," but in reality, they're money laundering conduits. The money you receive could be used as a conduit for someone else's "fund laundering"!

Funny: "This isn't a part-time job; it's using your identity to help others make headlines in social and legal news!"

Restaurant work: $12 an hour, guaranteed lumbar spine exercises!

Keywords: Chinese restaurant, dishwashing, serving dishes, cash work

You may have heard, "That restaurant nearby is hiring. No ID check, cash payment, pay now."

Sounds good, right?

But! The reality is:

• 12-hour shifts;
• No labor protections;
• Wages are delayed at will.

The work isn't limited to dishwashing and serving dishes, but also includes drain cleaning, toilet cleaning, and "occasionally walking the boss's dog."

You think you're earning money, but you're actually trading your body for the boss's "996" lifestyle.

Funny: "I came to the US to study, hoping to earn money with my brain, but ended up relying on my waist."

Essay ghostwriting: "High-paying writers" are actually ruining your academic future.

Some international students haven't even gotten used to English when they see part-time job ads offering "essay writing, pay by the word," thinking they can make money writing Materials in your own language.

But! You have to understand how strict American universities are about academic integrity!

If you "assist" someone with ghostwriting, you're participating in cheating. If caught, not only will the person writing for you be expelled, but you, the "writer," may also have a record, and in serious cases, your visa could be affected!

Even more frighteningly, some "ghostwriting platforms" hold a copy of your passport and threaten to expose it if you disagree.

Funny: "I thought I was the god of literature, but ended up on the wrong set and blacklisted."

Taking a survey: "Earn $10 in 20 minutes," but ended up wasting two hours and getting blocked.

When I first arrived in the US, many people were looking for part-time jobs online. The most common one was:

"Fill surveys for graduate school, $10 per job, students preferred!"

You excitedly filled out a bunch of surveys, only to discover:

You have to register on five or six platforms and answer dozens of screening questions;

The pass rate is ridiculously low;

After finally finishing, the platform says, "You are ineligible and cannot be paid."

Even worse, all your personal information was given away: birthday, grade, ethnicity, income, gender... All! Gone!

Funny: "Filling out a survey diligently for half an hour, only to be paid a year's worth of targeted advertising."

Internet celebrity dream factory: You thought you were the next Li Ziqi, but you're actually just a "content worker."

It's supposed to be cool for international students to make money by making videos in their free time. But then some platforms/agency agencies are targeting you.

They'll tell you, "We provide the account, the materials, and the operations. All you have to do is show up and shoot videos, and you'll get paid per order."

It sounds like agency management, but it's actually a disguised form of "free appearances and free content creation." In the end, you discover:

You don't own the account, and all your followers go to the platform;

You don't own the copyright to the content;

They monetize your videos on other platforms, and you don't even get a share.

Funny: "Others rely on you to make money, while you rely on them to practice your camera skills."

Tips for avoiding part-time jobs for international students:

Ask clearly about the salary method, and avoid vague promises like "high pay" or "good earnings."

Never provide your SSN (Social Security Number) or passport copy to unfamiliar platforms or individuals.

Only trust official channels: the school's official website, Career Center, or the Handshake platform.

Reject any part-time job that involves "fake orders," "helping others transfer money," or "opening a bank account."

Your parents are right: there's no such thing as free money. You've either been scammed or are about to be scammed. Studying abroad does require you to shoulder more responsibilities, but this doesn't mean you'll have to shoulder more burdens. Don't risk your status, time, or reputation simply to earn a living.

You can find part-time jobs, and there are reliable ones! For example, working as a library assistant, laboratory assistant, academic counselor, or working in the campus cafeteria are both stable and secure.

I hope you'll not only achieve excellent grades in a foreign country, but also develop a keen eye for swindling schemes!