“Congratulations! You just won a giveaway, click here for more info.”
Picture this: you are going about your day, working and socializing with your friends and then *Ping… your phone goes off. You just got an email from your CEO, welcoming you to the team… eight months late…
This story sounds fake? It isn’t. I received that exact email.
And to believe it’s a real email? That’s exactly what the scammers want.
Every March, Fraud Prevention Month reminds us of how common and convincing the scams have gotten. And with hundreds of millions of dollars lost to fraud in recent years, it shows just how widespread the issue is.
To them, students are their biggest targets. So here’s a quick guide to spot the red flags.
Phishing emails
Phishing emails are one of the most common types of scams, and they are getting harder to detect. They try to get you through various methods.
Watch out for:
- Weird email addresses like [email protected] (notice that r and n, instead of m for Microsoft).
- Messages that create a sense of urgency, such as “Act now or your bank account will be suspended.”
- Random links that ask you to “verify” your information.
Scammers often pretend to be your bank, your school or even government agencies like the Canadian Revenue Agency, especially during tax season.
Keep note that legitimate organizations will never ask for sensitive personal information by email or text. To verify any information, always log in to your account through the actual website and avoid clicking the links attached to an email.
Fake jobs
As students, most of us are always on the lookout for a job, whether it be a part-time, full-time or an internship. If you have ever applied to jobs online, you are already on a scammer’s radar.
Watch out for:
- “High-paying remote job, no experience required.” If it’s too good to be true, it most likely is.
- Being asked to pay up front for training and equipment.
- Receiving a paycheque and then being asked to pay some back.
The Canada Anti-Fraud Centre has reported a loss of $50.6M in job-related fraud, so watch out!
Online shopping
You finally order everything from your wishlist and it’s on its way. Yay! Let’s be real, we all love a good deal, but scammers know that too.
Watch out for:
- Emails with random tracking links (always go to the website you ordered from to keep track).
- Ads on social media with no real reviews.
- Messages like “your items could not be delivered, click here for more information.”
- Websites that offer massive discounts.
These types of scams can often lead to the leaking of your payment information.
Rental scams
When looking for off-campus housing, be very careful.
Watch out for:
- Rent that’s way below the market price.
- Landlords who refuse to meet or show you around the property.
- Demand for deposits before you have even seen the place.
Many scammers steal pictures of real listing photos to make their scams look legit. Always double-check and verify.
Social media
In today’s social media-filled world, apps like Instagram and TikTok are the most prone to scams.
Watch out for:
- Fake giveaways (“you won an iPhone!”).
- Accounts impersonating and pretending to be brands, celebrities or influencers.
As much as we’d really enjoy a free PR package from Porsche, it’s even more important to be careful about scams.
Why students fall for them
Falling for scams is never because you are careless, they are designed to work against you. But it’s highly important to stay alert and stay smart when it comes to scams to protect yourself.
Scammers leverage students’ urgency, fear, accountability to authority and, of course, FOMO.
When you are cooped up with work, assignments and exams, it’s easy to click first and think later.
How to protect yourself
Some ways you can protect yourself are:
- Dont click on random links, instead go directly to the official website.
- Never share your personal information.
- Remember: No official organization will ask for your password, SIN number or banking information through emails or texts.
- When in doubt, always pause and verify.
- Pause before reacting. Scammers want you to panic. Don’t give them that.
- If you do get scammed, contact your bank immediately, change passwords and report the fraud to the Canada Anti-Fraud Centre.
Stay aware
Frauds occur everywhere, so staying aware and alert is your best defence.
As students, we are constantly online, checking emails, applying for jobs and scrolling on social media, which makes us scammers’ prime targets.
But with the right tools, we can also be one step ahead.
So the next time you see an “urgent response needed,” pause, verify and then react.
Feature photo courtesy of Erik Mclean via Unsplash.
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