IDAHO — School is back in session, and many college students might be looking to make an extra buck here and there, but think twice if you find an employment email that seems too good to be true.
Students who are new to colleges and universities are given a brand-new school email address, and many will think that everything they receive in their official inbox is legitimate. That's what scammers are hoping for when they send out fake emails promising these students various gigs to make some side cash.
These are easy gigs, like dog-walking, secret shopping, or similar duties. The emails look official, usually appearing to be from a professor or administrator from the school. Once communication is established, they'll let you know that you've been hired, even without an interview or any type of screening process. They'll then want to send you a check and ask you to buy gift cards to send back to them, and not long after that, you'll find out the check you tried to deposit bounced. Avoiding these types of scams just takes some common sense.
"Email addresses. Look at that email address to make sure that it is a viable email address. If it's a business @gmail, that should raise a red flag. Being asked to send money, absolutely a red flag. Grammatical errors are red flags through this process. Just anything that doesn't feel right, pay attention. I like to say pay attention to the tension," said Better Business Bureau Chief Innovation Officer Dale Dixon.
And of course, do some research. Look up the supposed business and check their reviews and standing with your everyday consumer.
