NOTICE: Beware of Job Scam Emails Targeting U-M Students
Tuesday, May 2, 2023
This message was originally sent to U-M IT groups on Tuesday, May 2, 2023 and has been last updated on Thursday, July 27, 2023. It is intended for U-M IT leadership and the Security Community.
Help spread awareness of scam emails that target students
Highly customized email scams continue to target students at U-M with offers of jobs, internships, accommodations, and more. Please be aware of these ongoing scams and share this information with your career centers, student advisors, and faculty.
Many of the scammers impersonate U-M professors and other recognizable staff by spoofing their email addresses and using publicly available directory information, such as job titles and department names, to identify themselves. One of the common factors is that the recipients of the scam emails were not pursuing the offers in the scam.
When the recipients reply to the phishing emails, the scammers may send multiple follow up emails or text messages that attempt to get a prospective victim to deposit a fake “paycheck” and then use some of the money to make payments via non-refundable methods to a “preferred agent” (an accomplice or sock-puppet). The pretext may be that the student needs to purchase equipment or supplies for the new job. When the student’s bank later finds out the check is fake, the student loses the money from the account and is left with a loss.
Students should be suspicious of any offers for employment or accommodations if they did not apply for or inquire about them.
Questions, Concerns, Reports
Please contact ITS Information Assurance through the ITS Service Center.
References
- Phishing Alert: Earn $500 Weekly ( Remote Assistant Job Offer ) (Safe Computing)
- Phishing Alert: Imposter Email Scams Targeting U-M Students (Safe Computing)
- Job Offer Scams (Safe Computing)
- Phishing Alert: Fraudulent Job Offers Impersonating U-M Faculty (Safe Computing)
- Beware of Fraudulent Job Offers (Division of Public Safety & Security)
- Spotting Fraudulent Employers/Postings (Career Center)
- Notice: Watch for student work-from-home scams (Safe Computing)
- Tutoring Overpayment Scams (Safe Computing)
- Job Scams (Federal Trade Commission)
- Employment Scam Targeting College Students Remains Prevalent (FBI)
- Fraudulent Jobs and Internship Postings (American University)