Student Scam Season Is in Full Swing

Scams targeting students have gotten increasingly sophisticated and aggressive. Scammers, aware of students’s desperate search for an answer to the questions of family and the pressure of student loans, are creating increasingly personalized and convincing job scams for recent graduates (Fair, 2023).

Some scammers are turning to social media, job platforms, and college campuses to obtain money and personal information from college students who may have less knowledge and experience with authentic job postings. In an effort to gain authority, scammers may pretend to be alumni of the college by looking up faculty members of the university or key landmarks of the college town.

Fake job postings often provide enticing offers such as work-from-home positions where you can make hundreds a week with little time and effort. The offers might also be personalized using specific details from LinkedIn profiles that link their previous experiences and roles with the position being offered (Fair, 2023). College students may be less likely to detect the authenticity of scams when they are delivered by LinkedIn and include the name or other basic information about the recipient (Baki et al., 2020).

After connecting with the student – possibly by posing as alumni or recruiters from well-known businesses – scammers often set up an interview with the prospective candidate where they will go over the details of the job, soon followed by a seemingly official job offer and request for onboarding paperwork. Through the interview and requested HR documents, the scammers collect personal information, including the student’s Social Security number, bank account information, driver’s license, and other details requested on W-2 and other tax forms.

After obtaining personal information from the students, the scammers may request money through upfront fees for purchasing starter equipment kits such as computers, internet routers, and headsets or certifications for which they claim they will later reimburse (Bungo, 2023).

Before pursuing a job offer, students should call the official company number found on their website, not the number the recruiter gave. If an individual claims to be an alumni of the college, contact the career services office and alert the university if this person is found to be an impersonator. If you find a scam, you should report it to the FTC.

This posting was created in collaboration with Scripps College student Alicia Lamkin.