{"id":3845,"date":"2025-04-04T14:28:22","date_gmt":"2025-04-04T21:28:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogschapman.wpenginepowered.com\/information-systems\/2025\/04\/04\/beware-of-fake-check-scams-targeting-students\/"},"modified":"2026-07-17T23:39:20","modified_gmt":"2026-07-17T23:39:20","slug":"beware-of-fake-check-scams-targeting-students","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.chapman.edu\/information-systems\/2025\/04\/04\/beware-of-fake-check-scams-targeting-students\/","title":{"rendered":"Beware of Fake Check Scams Targeting Students"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">Recently, a sophisticated scam involving fake checks has targeted Chapman University students. The scammer poses as a faculty member, such as &#8220;Professor Chris Bolduc,&#8221; and reaches out to students via text. The email based variant of this scam is detailed on the <\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/www.chapman.edu\/scams\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">trending email scams page<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"none\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">Here&#8217;s a detailed look at how this scam unfolds and what you can do to protect yourself:<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b><span data-contrast=\"none\">How the Scam Works<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><b><span data-contrast=\"none\">Initial Contact<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"none\">: The scammer pretends to be a faculty member from Chapman University and contacts the student, offering them a job or some form of employment.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b><span data-contrast=\"none\">Job Offer and Check<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"none\">: The scammer sends a PDF containing a check once the student accepts the job offer. The amount on the check is usually higher than what was initially agreed upon.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b><span data-contrast=\"none\">Deposit and Forwarding<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"none\">: The student is instructed to print and deposit the check into their bank account. After depositing, the student is asked to forward the difference between the agreed amount and the check amount to another bank account.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:true,&quot;134233118&quot;:true,&quot;201341983&quot;:2,&quot;335559740&quot;:300}\">\u00a0<\/span><b><span data-contrast=\"none\">Why This Scam Is Effective<\/span><\/b><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:true,&quot;134233118&quot;:true,&quot;201341983&quot;:2,&quot;335559740&quot;:300}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><b><span data-contrast=\"none\">Delayed Check Clearing<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"none\">: The bank typically takes a few days to clear the check. During this period, the student might believe the check is legitimate.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b><span data-contrast=\"none\">Forwarding Money<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"none\">: If the student follows the scammer&#8217;s instructions and forwards the difference, they are actually sending money from their own account. The student is liable for the amount transferred when the check eventually bounces.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b><span data-contrast=\"none\">Liability and Consequences<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">Depositing a fake check can have serious financial consequences. Banks are required by law to make deposited funds available quickly, usually within two days. However, this does not mean the check is valid. If the check is found to be fraudulent, the student is responsible for the money they forwarded. This can lead to significant financial loss and potential legal issues.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.chapman.edu\/information-systems\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/68\/2025\/04\/Scams-Image.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-3846 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/blogs.chapman.edu\/information-systems\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/68\/2025\/04\/Scams-Image.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"398\" height=\"570\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><b><span data-contrast=\"none\">Protecting Yourself<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><b><span data-contrast=\"none\">Verify Job Offers<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"none\">: Always verify the legitimacy of job offers, especially if they come from unexpected sources. Contact the university directly if you receive a suspicious offer.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:true,&quot;134233118&quot;:true,&quot;201341983&quot;:2,&quot;335559740&quot;:300}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b><span data-contrast=\"none\">Do Not Deposit Suspicious Checks<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"none\">: If you receive a check that seems unusual or is for more than the agreed amount, do not deposit it.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:true,&quot;134233118&quot;:true,&quot;201341983&quot;:2,&quot;335559740&quot;:300}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b><span data-contrast=\"none\">Report Suspicious Activity<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"none\">: Report any suspicious emails or texts to Chapman University&#8217;s Information Systems and Technology department.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">Fake check scams are a serious threat, especially to students who may be less experienced with financial transactions. By staying vigilant and verifying the authenticity of job offers and checks, you can protect yourself from falling victim to these scams. Always remember, if something seems too good to be true, it probably is.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">If unsure about an email you received, send an email with your questions to\u202f<\/span><a href=\"mailto:abuse@chapman.edu\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">abuse@chapman.edu<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"none\">. <\/span><span data-contrast=\"none\">For any questions regarding Phishing Simulation\/Phishing Simulation training, please contact\u202f<\/span><a href=\"mailto:infosec@chapman.edu\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">infosec@chapman.edu<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"none\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">Stay safe and informed,<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:true,&quot;134233118&quot;:true,&quot;201341983&quot;:2,&quot;335559740&quot;:300}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:true,&quot;134233118&quot;:true,&quot;201341983&quot;:2,&quot;335559740&quot;:300}\">\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"none\">Chapman University Information Systems and Technology (IS&amp;T)<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:true,&quot;134233118&quot;:true,&quot;201341983&quot;:2,&quot;335559740&quot;:300}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Recently, a sophisticated scam involving fake checks has targeted Chapman University students. The scammer poses as a faculty member, such [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3283,"featured_media":3851,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"default","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"set","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[35,33,246],"tags":[36,96,225],"class_list":["post-3845","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-information-security","category-ist-announcements","category-online-safety","tag-infosec","tag-scam","tag-students"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.chapman.edu\/information-systems\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3845","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.chapman.edu\/information-systems\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.chapman.edu\/information-systems\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.chapman.edu\/information-systems\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3283"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.chapman.edu\/information-systems\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3845"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.chapman.edu\/information-systems\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3845\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4292,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.chapman.edu\/information-systems\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3845\/revisions\/4292"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.chapman.edu\/information-systems\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3851"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.chapman.edu\/information-systems\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3845"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.chapman.edu\/information-systems\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3845"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.chapman.edu\/information-systems\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3845"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}