Back-to-school season means shopping for supplies, paying tuition and, for many students, searching for a part-time job. It also means scammers have new opportunities to target families and students. Knowing the warning signs can help you start the school year with confidence.

What employment scams should students watch for?

Many students search for part-time or remote work around this time of year, which makes them a target for job scams. A few warning signs to share with your student:

• A job offer that comes after only a text, message or email exchange, with little or no formal interview
• A request for banking information to “receive payments”
• A check that arrives with instructions to deposit it and use the funds to buy equipment, gift cards or office supplies
• Instructions to buy supplies through a specific vendor or payment method

Two real examples worth knowing. One involves someone asking to use a student’s social media photo to “paint a portrait” or create artwork, a request that’s frequently tied to a fraudulent check and a follow-up ask to send money back. The other involves a college student receiving an email through their school account that appears to come from a well-known instructor, offering a research or assistant position. The scammer sends a check and asks the student to purchase equipment or supplies. When the check bounces, the student is left responsible for repaying the funds already spent.

If a job offer ever involves depositing a check and sending part of it back, treat it as a scam and stop before you deposit anything.

How can I shop safely for school supplies and textbooks online?

Stick to reputable retailers and be cautious of deals that seem too good to be true. Scammers often create fake websites that advertise deeply discounted textbooks and school supplies, collect payment and never deliver the items. Before buying from an unfamiliar seller, check reviews and verify the website address. If a site asks you to pay with gift cards, wire transfers or cryptocurrency, consider it a red flag.

How do I know if a call or message from my child’s school is legitimate?

Scammers sometimes impersonate schools, scholarship organizations and government agencies, especially around tuition and financial aid deadlines. If you receive an unexpected request for payment or personal information, contact the organization directly using a trusted phone number or website rather than responding to the message. Legitimate schools will not pressure you to act immediately through an unverified channel.

What other online safety habits should families practice this fall?

A few habits go a long way for the whole household:

• Avoid clicking suspicious links, ads or pop-ups on social media, gaming platforms or unfamiliar sites
• Report suspicious messages, sudden offers and requests for personal information
• Be skeptical of social media posts offering financial assistance, easy money or quick jobs, since these often lead to requests to send money or pay a fee upfront

How can I help my student protect their personal information?

If your student has their own internet access, it’s worth a conversation about protecting personal and financial details online. Remind them never to share passwords, banking information or other sensitive details with anyone they don’t know and trust, even if the message looks like it’s from a teacher or school staff member. Scammers sometimes send messages from compromised or spoofed email accounts that look convincing at first glance.

For more on how fake checks work and how to spot one, see our post on check fraud. And if you want to get familiar with how scammers disguise calls and messages to look like they’re coming from a trusted source, our post on spoofing scams breaks down what to look for.

A new school year brings a lot of moving pieces, from tuition payments to shopping lists to a student’s first job search. Taking a few minutes to talk through these scams as a family can save a lot of stress once classes start.

 

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