TL;DR: New graduates handle loans and job offers for the first time, often unaware of fraud. Apply for loan forgiveness only through official government sites, never pay a fee to receive a job offer, and verify recruiters through the company's own careers page.
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New graduates handle loans and job offers for the first time, often unaware of fraud.
Common Tactics Used
Fake student-loan forgiveness programs demand an upfront processing fee, and phony recruiters offer signing bonuses that require an advance payment or personal banking details.
How to Protect Against It
Apply for loan forgiveness only through official government sites, never pay a fee to receive a job offer, and verify recruiters through the company's own careers page.
What Family and Friends Can Do
Sudden secrecy about money, unusual withdrawals, or a new online relationship that stays undisclosed are all worth a calm, judgment-free conversation. The earlier a scam is caught, the more can usually be recovered.
If this looks similar to something else you've seen, it's worth reading Scams Targeting Remote Workers.
This pattern shows up elsewhere too — see Scams Targeting Rideshare Drivers.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why are they specifically targeted?
New graduates handle loans and job offers for the first time, often unaware of fraud.
What tactics do scammers use?
Fake student-loan forgiveness programs demand an upfront processing fee, and phony recruiters offer signing bonuses that require an advance payment or personal banking details.
How can they protect themselves?
Apply for loan forgiveness only through official government sites, never pay a fee to receive a job offer, and verify recruiters through the company's own careers page.
What should family or friends watch for?
Sudden secrecy about money or new online relationships, unusual withdrawals or wire transfers, and reluctance to discuss a new "opportunity" or contact in detail are all worth a gentle, non-judgmental conversation.
What should I do if I think this has already happened?
Stop all contact and payments immediately, report it to the appropriate authority, and contact the bank or payment provider involved to see what can be recovered.