Many college students use social media, online marketplaces, and campus housing groups to find roommates, purchase textbooks, buy furniture, and connect with classmates. While these platforms can be incredibly helpful, they have also become popular hunting grounds for scammers.
Common Scams
Housing scams are especially common at the beginning of the school year. Fraudsters may advertise attractive apartments at below-market prices, request deposits before showing the property, or impersonate legitimate property managers. Once payment is sent, the listing disappears, and the student is left without housing.
Online marketplace scams can be equally costly. Scammers may sell nonexistent electronics, textbooks, event tickets, or furniture and request payment through methods that offer little or no protection. Some may even send fake payment confirmations designed to trick sellers into handing over items before funds are received.
Social media scams are another growing concern. Students may receive messages about giveaways, investment opportunities, side hustles, or financial assistance programs. These offers often lead to phishing websites or requests for personal and banking information.
Protecting Yourself
Students can reduce their risk by meeting buyers and sellers in safe public locations, avoiding payments for items or housing that cannot be verified, being cautious of unusually low prices or high-pressure sales tactics, never sharing online banking credentials or one-time security codes, and researching individuals and organizations before sending money.
If a debit card is lost, stolen, or compromised, NW Plus members can use the CARDS feature to quickly turn their card off while they investigate suspicious activity. Members can also receive transaction notifications and review recent purchases to spot potential fraud early.
College is full of opportunities to connect, buy, sell, and explore. By staying alert and using the financial tools available through NW Plus, students can enjoy campus life with greater confidence and peace of mind.
Never share your account number, passwords, answers to security questions, or other account information. We will never ask you for this type of information when we call or email you. If someone claiming to be a NW Plus CU representative asks for sensitive account information over the phone or in an email, end the conversation immediately, and call us at 425.297.1000 or come to one of our branches to report the incident.
