TL;DR: Students and new graduates are targeted with fake jobs, scholarship and admission offers, and rental scams. Never pay to secure an offer, verify institutions independently, and be wary of urgency.
👉 Check my digital footprint — free 30-second check →
College Students
Students manage money independently for the first time and often act fast online.
- Common Tactics Used: Fake scholarship and grant offers asking for an upfront fee, phony rental listings for off-campus housing, and job postings that ask new hires to deposit and forward checks are all frequent tactics.
- How to Protect Against It: Never pay to receive a scholarship or job offer, verify landlords and listings independently before sending a deposit, and be skeptical of any job that involves handling or forwarding money.
- In India: Common Tactics Used: Fake part-time job and data-entry offers on WhatsApp and Telegram promise easy daily pay for tasks like 'liking videos,' then demand an upfront 'registration' fee. Fraudulent scholarship portals and phishing texts about exam results or hostel fee refunds also target this group. How to Protect Against It: Never pay to receive a job, internship, or scholarship, verify any hiring message through the company's official website, and avoid sharing OTPs or bank details over WhatsApp.
- More guides on this topic: See also: Scams Targeting Content Creators and Influencers and Scams Targeting Delivery Drivers .
First-Generation College Students
First-gen students navigate financial aid without prior family experience.
- Common Tactics Used: Fake financial aid 'advisors' charge fees for services the school provides for free, and phishing emails impersonate the FAFSA process to collect personal information.
- How to Protect Against It: Complete financial aid only through the official studentaid.gov site, and use your school's free financial aid office rather than a paid outside advisor.
Recent College Graduates
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.
Graduate School Applicants
Applicants juggle fees and deadlines across many unfamiliar institutions.
- Common Tactics Used: Fake application-fee waiver services charge for something schools offer free, and phishing emails impersonate admissions offices requesting personal or payment information to 'confirm' an offer.
- How to Protect Against It: Verify fee waivers and admission decisions only through the school's official applicant portal, and never pay a third party to process an application.
Students Applying to Study Abroad
Applicants handle large fees and unfamiliar paperwork under real time pressure.
- Common Tactics Used: Fake university admission offers and visa 'consultants' charge large upfront fees for guaranteed admission or visa approval, and phishing emails impersonate embassies or universities asking for payment or documents to 'confirm' a seat.
- How to Protect Against It: Verify any admission offer directly with the university's official admissions office, and remember no embassy or university asks for payment by UPI or gift card to confirm a seat.
Parents of School-Going Children
Parents respond quickly to messages that seem to involve their child's safety or fees.
- Common Tactics Used: Fake school fee payment links sent via SMS or WhatsApp mimic the school's usual reminder, and callers claim a child has been in an accident or detained, demanding urgent payment before parents can verify.
- How to Protect Against It: Pay school fees only through the school's official portal or office, and call the school or your child directly before acting on any urgent message about them.
What the FTC says
- Scholarship and financial aid scams: the FTC lists these warning signs: the scholarship is guaranteed or your money back, and it will cost some money. It says never to pay at a seminar on how to get financial aid or scholarships (source).
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.
More guides on this topic
Also see scams targeting workers and scams targeting property.
Scammers often start from leaked contact details. A free digital footprint check shows whether your email or number appears in exposed data.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why are these groups targeted?
Scammers look for people under pressure or unfamiliar with a process, because they act quickly. Each section above describes the specific reason for that group.
What tactics do scammers use?
They rely on urgency, impersonation and requests for payment or personal details. The tactics for each group are listed in its section.
How can I protect myself or a relative?
Slow the decision down, verify the person or offer through a channel you already trust, and never pay to receive a job, prize, refund or benefit.
What should family or friends watch for?
Sudden secrecy about money, unusual withdrawals or wire transfers, and reluctance to discuss a new opportunity or contact are 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.