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What You Need to Know

As the fall semester begins, scammers are reviving a phishing scheme that targets college students. These emails appear to come from a university’s Financial Aid office, promising eligibility for an “economic stimulus check.” Victims are directed to click on a link and log in with their university credentials, but instead of accessing their real school account, they hand over their login details to scammers. Once obtained, these credentials can be used to steal personal information, commit identity theft, or exploit the student in further scams. A subtle red flag in these messages is the use of the term “Financial Dept.” rather than the correct “Financial Aid Department,” which most schools use.

What You Should Do

To avoid falling victim, students should never click on links or download attachments from unsolicited emails, even if they appear to come from their school. Instead, verify any message by contacting the Financial Aid office directly through official channels, such as the university’s website or phone number.

Be cautious of urgency, poor grammar, or slight variations in department names, which often signal a scam. Using two-factor authentication on school accounts and regularly updating passwords also adds extra protection against unauthorized access. Remember: if an offer sounds too good to be true—like free money with no strings attached—it almost certainly is.

Think you are being scammed? Call our scam hotline or email us for help:
(801)-724-6211
scamwatch@invisus.com