Beware of Email Scams Targeting Students and Their Families

September 16, 2026

With school and college back in session, there’s often a flurry of email communications to keep students and families informed. In the middle of all that, it’s easy to let your guard down, especially when it looks like an email is from a school administrator, teacher or professor, or staff member.

But that’s exactly what scammers are hoping for when they spoof school email accounts: that students and families will trust the sender and click a link or take an action in an email without thinking it through.

Here are some real-life examples.

Emails sent to students:

Offering an unsolicited, too-good-to-be-true job with high pay, remote work, and/or flexible hours

Sending a check or a picture of a check, with instructions to deposit it and send money or gift cards back

Awarding a scholarship or grant you didn’t apply for, and asking you to pay a processing fee

Requesting your student portal username and password or any other personal information

Emails sent to family members:

Seeking immediate, large donations by unusual payment methods (e.g., wire transfer)

Announcing an estate sale, where families purchase items and proceeds go to a school fundraiser

Requesting unpaid tuition or fees and warning that not paying them right now will result in the student’s expulsion

The best protection against email scams? Awareness and vigilance.

Remember that scammers can spoof almost any email address, even those from people you know. Just because an email comes from a .gov or .edu address doesn’t mean it’s legitimate.

Besides the typical red flags, like misspelled words, bad grammar, and strange word choices, watch for:
- Anything linking to a Google form (hover to view the URL before clicking any links)
- Urgency, secrecy, threats, or blackmail
- Requests to be paid in gift cards, money orders, or via wire transfer

Most scam emails are sent directly to students. If you’re a parent or other family member, talk to your high school or college student. Make sure they understand what to be aware of, what to do if they get a suspicious email, and what to do if they do get scammed.

Confirm before sending any money! Look up the person or school department’s phone number yourself and call them directly to make sure the request is legitimate. (Never call a number provided in an email or hit “Reply.” That likely leads directly to the scammer.)

If you do get scammed, act quickly!

By staying alert and informed, you’re more likely to spot scams before they reel you in.

But it’s also important to understand that people of all ages, backgrounds, education, and financial status can fall victim. So, if you or a loved one does get scammed, don’t hide it—speak up! Contact your financial institution, school’s IT team, and local police department immediately to report the scam. If you’re an RCU Member, contact us anytime by chat, text, email, or phone.