Select campus users received an email message that offers an employment opportunity via an attachment claiming to be a DHHS official. The communication offers simple employment to mail letters for money.
This email is a money mule scam. IT said in an email that students should not respond to this message or click on the link in the message and scammers may try to use students to move stolen money. If a student helps them, they could be what law enforcement calls a money mule.
Money mule scams happen several ways. The story often involves scams related to online dating, work-at-home jobs, easy-to-do jobs or prizes. Scammers can send money , sometimes by check, then ask the recipient to send (some of) it to someone else. They often want to use gift cards or wire transfers. Of course, they don’t tell anyone the money is stolen and they’re lying about the reason to send it. And there never was a relationship, job or prize. Only a scam.
IT sent a list of tips via email to avoid money mule scams:
- Don’t accept a job that asks you to transfer money. They may tell you to send money to a “client” or “supplier.” Say, "no." You may be helping a scammer move stolen money.
- Never send money to collect a prize. That’s always a scam, and they might be trying to get you to move stolen money.
- Don’t send money back to an online love interest who has sent you money. Also, always a scam and another a way to get you to move stolen money.
- Don’t exchange personal information or login codes or personal email via text, social media or other platforms. Most scammers will quickly switch to SMS(text message) or other social media to ask you for your personal information or banking information or login codes.
To learn more about this type of scam, visit the FTC.gov site at
https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/blog/2020/03/whats-money-mule-scam.
Students who need assistance changing their LEA password or have other questions related to this advisory can contact the IT Service Desk at 409.880.2222 or email servicedesk@lamar.edu.