As the semester begins, cybercriminals often target students with fraudulent employment/job offers. Unfortunately, several students have fallen victim to these scams in the past.
As the semester begins, cybercriminals often target students with fraudulent employment/job offers. Unfortunately, several students have fallen victim to these scams in the past. Please take a moment to review the information below so you can recognize and avoid these scams.
Common Job Scam Red Flags
- University research assistants/interns: These scams specifically target students and advise them that they have been hired by a UMB professor as a remote research assistant or intern. Any initial communication advertising these positions that does not come from an official UMB email account (@umaryland.edu) and has the following header at the top of the email, is most likely a scam:
CAUTION: This message originated from a non-UMB email system. Hover over any links before clicking and use caution opening attachments.
- Too good to be true: High pay for little work, flexible “work from home” offers such as
- Mystery shopper jobs
- Envelope stuffing from home
- Repackaging or shipping from home
- Issuing checks or check processing from home
- Unsolicited emails/texts: Offers you didn’t apply for often appear to come from a university official, professor, or well-known company.
- Requests for money or personal info: Scammers may ask you to buy gift cards, provide your bank account information or Social Security number, or send money to “verify employment.”
- Fake checks: You may be sent a check, asked to deposit it, and then forward funds elsewhere. These checks always bounce, leaving you responsible for the loss.
- Poor spelling, grammar, or vague details: Job descriptions that lack specifics or use unprofessional language.
How to Protect Yourself
- Be skeptical of unsolicited offers: Legitimate employers will typically not contact you out of the blue using your university email.
- Do not share personal or financial information until you have verified the employer.
- Never purchase gift cards or transfer money as part of a job application or training process.
- Verify with official sources: If the job claims to be connected to UMB, confirm by conducting a search of the UMB website and/or contacting the hiring department using the contact information on a verified UMB website.
- Pause before acting: Scammers often pressure you to respond quickly. Take your time to evaluate.
What to Do if You’re Targeted
Do not respond further and save all messages.
- Report the scam immediately to:
- UMB Office of Security & Compliance
- UMB Office of Student Affairs
- Federal Trade Commission (FTC): reportfraud.ftc.gov
- If you’ve shared financial information, contact your bank immediately.
If a job sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Always verify before you respond.