Be on the lookout for red flags

• The unsolicited text: If you get a “cold call” text about a job you never applied for, it’s likely a scam.
• The “pay to play” trap: No real boss will ever ask you to pay for your own equipment or “starter kits” upfront.
• The fake check: They send you a check for “supplies,” ask you to deposit it, and wire back the “extra.” The check is fake, and you will be on the hook for the money when it bounces.
• The “professor” impersonator: Scammers are posing as campus staff or professors using Gmail accounts to offer “remote internships”.
• Posing as ASU Career Services: Scammers are even leveraging AI to make emails appear to come from ASU Career Services.

If a Job or Message Seems Suspicious

1. Pause: Scammers rely on urgency. If this seems too good to be true or feels off, it likely is.

2. Verify: If an offer claims to be from a professor or campus office, contact them directly through the official university directory. Never use the contact info or click on any links the message contains.

3. Report to ASU’s Cybersecurity team: Forward suspicious emails to infosec@asu.edu and report texts to 7726 (SPAM). If you have already shared financial info, contact your bank immediately and report the incident at ReportFraud.ftc.gov

Examples of Suspicious Situations

The Job Text Scam: The FTC warns that unexpected job texts asking for personal info or money are almost always scams. Forward these texts to 7726 to help carriers block the sender.

The Check-Cashing Scam: Your boss should be paying you, not the other way around. If you are told to deposit a check and use that money to pay a ‘supplier’ or ‘recruiter,’ it is a scam.

The Too-Good-To-Be-True Job Scam: Job postings that advertise high pay for simple tasks like data entry or vague remote work with little detail are often scams designed to lure applicants quickly.

The Urgent Message Scam: Unexpected emails or texts that create a sense of urgency—pressuring you to act quickly without time to verify—are commonly used by scammers to catch you off guard.

The Off-Platform Communication Scam: Legitimate employers will not rush you to move conversations off trusted platforms. Requests to quickly switch to personal email, messaging apps, or text can be a sign of a scam.

AI-enhanced scams: Threat actors now use AI to create perfect grammar and personalized messages. Do not rely on ‘bad English’ as the only indicator of a scam. Be skeptical of any ‘out-of-the-blue’ offer, even if it looks professional.

Additional Information