MISSOULA, Mont.–Students at the University of Montana are falling for an old scam, and it’s being felt by one credit union here.
Missoula Federal Credit Union said it has seen an influx of students who have received an email and are attempting to cash fake checks, according to MontanaKaiman.com.
The checks are part of a scam many credit unions have seen in various forms. In this case, students receive an email advertising a job opportunity for which they will be paid in advance. The student provides his/her name and address to the scammer, and is sent a check they are instructed to cash. Students are also asked to then send at least part of the money back via a money order, the goal of the scammer being to have the student cash the check before the fraud is discovered so that legitimate funds can be sent. The victim not only loses funds, but is also on the hook for any charges related to the fraudulent check.
A representative of Missoula Federal told MontanaKaiman.com the advice for students is, “Use your head. If it looks too good to be true, it is.”