By: Landon Lauder

A check fraud scheme has found its way to U of L, and has affected at least six students in the past year.

This “scheme” is a check-cashing fraud occurring all over campus, the state, the nation, and the world. “There is no one set scheme,” and “the fraudsters tailor their scenarios,” Detective Jeffrey Jewell of U of L’s campus police stated, and it seems to be happening at universities since there are young adults on campus who may be looking to pick up easy money.

It targets “a new set of freshmen every year,” where “students are simply trying to find a job,” said Jewell, yet has no specific age group that is targeted.

According to Jewell, the scheme is an organized activity from foreign countries and involves exploiting people in order to steal their money they may not even have. At first, a company sends a legitimate-looking job offer in the mail, to your email, or on social media sites such as Craigslist, often asking you to perform a task, usually related to testing money transfer services or a company’s performance.

Once the fraudsters have your personal contact information, usually by sending bogus-like job applications or skimpy forms for your contact information, the check arrives, right to your mailbox. Usually, these checks are written for $2,000-$3,000. With United States postage on the envelope, it “adds some credibility,” Jewell notes “to what you think is a legitimate business transaction.” Following the check will be an email containing detailed instructions on what to do with the check. These instructions will typically demand you to deposit the check into your account, wire about three-fourths of the amount to a location for the company, provide them with the transaction number and password, and then keep the rest as “compensation” for your work.

Despite the far reach the scam has, many national organizations, the Kentucky Attorney General, and Jewell have plenty of tips in order to prevent you from falling victim; the foremost tip coming from Jewell: “Education is the key to prevention:”

  • Look out for key words and phrases such as: “Wire me the money now,” or any aggressive-sounding instructions dealing with a large sum of money;
  • Since most scammers are foreign, Detective Jewell says, “You’ll find grammar issues and spelling errors;”
  • A familiar company name does not guarantee the offer is legitimate;
  • If the company cannot specifically provide you information on how the money you are wiring will be spent, be cautious;
  • Never accept compensation from a company after performing a survey without researching the company’s legitimacy or if the actual company has received reports of scammers using the organization’s name.

If you believe you have received a fraudulent check or job offer, Jewell advises you to immediately ignore the offer and contact the Federal Trade Commission by filling out a short form at econsumer.gov, along with contacting your bank’s fraud prevention department.

Photo Courtesy of Google Images