College students are being warned about fake job offers that seem accommodating, but end up as scams.
Scammers use email to target college students and offer them jobs with “flexible hours and good pay.”
According to the Better Business Bureau, this is how these scams work:
- The student will get an email to their college-associated account about a job with this type of description: “The position offers flexibility that allows you to choose your hours during the day to avoid conflicts between classes or other business.”
- If the student replies, they will be offered the job (possibly after a short interview via online chat or email)
- The new hire will get a check in the mail for their first “assignment
- The scammer will instruct the student to keep some of the money and send the rest to other scam agents. The BBB says the check is fake and leaves the student responsible for any money withdrawn against it
Scammers often use the names of legitimate or recognizable businesses, but do use fake company names as well.
A seemingly accommodating job might be a scam if:
- The position is “work from home,” “secret shopper” or any job with a generic title
- If you search a suspicious job online and your result pulls up other cities with the exact same job post
- You’re offered the job on the spot
- You are being overpaid and asked to wire money elsewhere
- You are asked to share personal information or hand over money
