NOTICE: Beware of Phishing Emails Targeting Students

This message was sent to U-M IT groups on Tuesday, May 2, 2023. It is intended for U-M IT leadership and the Security Community.

Help spread awareness of scam emails that target students

Highly customized email scams continue to target students at U-M with offers of jobs, internships, accommodations, and more. Please be aware of these ongoing scams and share this information with your career centers, student advisors, and faculty.

Many of the scammers impersonate U-M professors and other recognizable staff by spoofing their email addresses and using publicly available directory information, such as job titles and department names, to identify themselves. One of the common factors is that the recipients of the scam emails were not pursuing the offers in the scam.

When the recipients reply to the phishing emails, the scammers may send multiple follow up emails or text messages that attempt to get a prospective victim to deposit a fake “paycheck” and then use some of the money to make payments via non-refundable methods to a “preferred agent” (an accomplice or sock-puppet). The pretext may be that the student needs to purchase equipment or supplies for the new job. When the student’s bank later finds out the check is fake, the student loses the money from the account and is left with a loss.

Students should be suspicious of any offers for employment or accommodations if they did not apply for or inquire about them.