Today’s students and young adults are true digital natives, having grown up online, learning to navigate digital spaces as a normal part of daily life. As they transition to college, they turn to digital platforms and social media for everything from apartment hunting and job searches to shopping, banking and talking with friends.
That familiarity, however, can create a false sense of security, making younger adults just as much of a target for fraud and scams as older individuals. According to the FBI’s Internet Crime Report, Americans ages 20–29 reported more than $500 million to internet-crime losses in 2025.
As scammers become more sophisticated, including using AI, students need to be more vigilant than ever about fraud and scams. Understanding the most common ones can help you and your children avoid becoming victims.
Common scams targeting students (and the families supporting them)
Online shopping and marketplace scams
Whether your student is furnishing a dorm, moving into an apartment or buying textbooks–or you’re helping them pay for essentials—online deals and secondhand marketplaces can help you save money while also creating more opportunities for scammers.
Buy from official and trusted retailers whenever possible, double check website URLs for misspellings or other red flags, and make sure the site uses . Be wary of deals that seem too good to be true as well. Avoid clicking links in unsolicited emails or text messages, including fake “missed delivery” notifications that often lead to fraudulent websites or malware.
Before making a purchase, read seller reviews and ratings. If you’re buying locally, meet in a safe public place and inspect the item before paying.
Job scams
As students return to school this fall, some may be looking for part-time jobs or internships. Scammers target students with fake jobs offering high salaries, flexible schedules or jobs you can do from a residence hall, apartment or home.
If your child receives a job offer by text, email, or direct message – be cautious, especially if they never applied to work at that company. Encourage them to use well-known job boards and then apply directly through the company’s official website.
Also, if an employer asks them to pay upfront for training, equipment, background checks or application fees, it may be a sign of a scam. Legitimate companies will never charge you to get a job. They also won’t send you money and then ask you to return a portion of it.
Rental and housing scams
Scammers know student housing is in high demand. They’ll often post fake apartment listings or copy legitimate ones to trick potential renters (or their families) into sending money for a deposit.
Rental prices that seem unusually low should raise a red flag. Use a reverse image search to see if photos of the property appear on a different website or in a different location. Research unfamiliar property managers or housing websites before sending money, and avoid paying deposits through wire transfers, gift cards or peer-to-peer payment apps.
Double check the address, read online reviews of the property management company and schedule a tour of the house or apartment before signing a lease or sending a deposit. That way, you’ll know the listing and location is real.
The influence of AI
Thanks to artificial intelligence, scammers can now create cloned voices and deepfake videos, along with fraudulent emails, text messages and even websites and apps that look real. These AI tools let scammers impersonate family members, employers, banks, law enforcement, delivery companies and trusted brands to get you to send money or share personal information. They may even target parents directly—claiming your child is in trouble and needs money immediately.
How to protect yourself (and your children)
No matter what type of scam you encounter, a few simple habits can go a long way toward reducing your risk:
Limit the personal information you and your children share online and make social media profiles private whenever possible. This can help reduce the information scammers can use to target you, guess your security questions or attempt to access your financial accounts. When you’re making a payment, use more protected methods, such as credit and debit cards, which generally offer stronger consumer protections than wire transfers, gift cards or peer-to-peer payment apps. Treat peer-to-peer payments, such as Zelle, like cash — once the money is sent, it’s often difficult to recover. Scammers can spoof phone numbers to make calls look like they’re coming from your bank, law enforcement or another trusted organization. Don’t automatically trust your caller ID – if you get a call demanding immediate action or claiming there’s a problem with your account, hang up and call back directly using a verified phone number. Banks will never call and ask you for account information, tell you to transfer money to ‘protect’ it or pressure you to act immediately. Don’t click links or download attachments from unexpected emails or text messages and avoid accessing your financial accounts or making online purchases on public Wi-Fi, where savvy cybercriminals can gain access to your login credentials. Perhaps most importantly, slow down. Back-to-school season brings a flurry of financial decisions and scammers know students and families are looking for deals. They often create a false sense of urgency to try to pressure people into making quick decisions. Taking a few extra minutes to verify information can make the difference.The bottom line
Whether your student is shopping for school supplies, searching for a job or signing a first lease, their status as a student can make them a prime target for scammers—and families can be targeted too.
Stay skeptical of unsolicited offers, verify before you pay or share personal information, and slow down when something feels rushed. Those simple habits can help protect your money, your identity and your family’s peace of mind throughout the school year from scams and fraud.
To help consumers stay ahead of common and emerging threats, Chase hosts more than 1,000 free fraud and scam prevention workshops each year in communities across the country. This September, Chase will host a workshop for [college/university name] students focused on recognizing scams and protecting their money and personal information during the back-to-school season.
For more financial health tips, visit chase.com/scamproof.
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