When you least expect it, scammers will try and trick you — and while older adults have long been popular targets, college students are not immune.
The Federal Trade Commission said bad actors are posing as recruiters from big firms, tech companies and national retailers through social media.
“Maybe, because of the apps that you’re using or some database that you provided information for, you’ve got some information about them and a lot of that stuff is public,” said Ira Rheingold, consumer attorney and executive director of the National Association of Consumer Advocates.
He said college students need to be very careful.
“They’re job hunting. That’s a pretty vulnerable moment for people. They’re young, they’re nervous. They don’t really know how the world of work, works,” Rheingold said.
He offered this advice to college students to avoid becoming a victim while searching for a job: “You need to check and double check people who are contacting you. Make sure that it’s a legitimate company that’s contacting you. It’s not coming from a Gmail address but it’s actually coming from a company.”
The FTC also recommended looking at a recruiter’s references and reassessing if asked to provide personal information.
According to the FTC, scammers posing as recruiters may claim to have a connection to a student’s college. In some cases, the FTC said, the “recruiter” may frequently reference faculty names, campus landmarks or even memories of their days at the school of the student being targeted.
“If they suggest that they got your name from a professor or somebody you’re working with, you better check with your college or check with your professor to make sure these are legitimate people,” Rheingold said.
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