Mohawk College places a high priority on ensuring your safety within our community, which extends to protecting yourself from scams and fraudulent activities, particularly those targeting students with promises of scholarships or bursaries and tuition payments. We are committed to equipping you with the knowledge and resources necessary to protect yourself from scams.
Learn the Signs of Scams
Some scams are easy to spot. Some are not! Learn the signs so you can protect yourself from scammers. Many scams attempt to imitate government services in order to gain access to your personal and financial information.
It may be a scam if someone is:
- Demanding immediate payment
- Requesting payment with cryptocurrency or gift cards
- Using threatening language
- Sending you a link to click on or a file attached to open (don't ever open anything from an unknown source!)
- Asking for personal or financial information
Types of Scams
Scholarship, Awards and Tuition Scams
Scammers will often claim they can help you get scholarships or grants if you pay them a certain amount of money upfront. They will promise large amounts of money if you provide your personal information. Scammers will use tactics like rushing you with urgent timelines and high pressure. In most cases once you give them a ‘processing fee’ and your personal information you’ll never hear from them again.
For example, Money Savings Inc. is a fraudulent company that is being used for tuition payment scams. Please be on the lookout for communications from this company and others similar to this that are offering tuition payment support or tuition reductions that are too good to be true.
HOW TO PROTECT YOURSELF
- Information regarding your tuition, what is owed, and when it is due will be indicated on your Fee Statement (sent to your Mohawk College email address)
- Verify the legitimacy of the information/business/company before responding to the request. Ensure the communication you received came from an official Mohawk College email address (email ending in @mohawkcollege.ca). If you are still unsure, please contact us here for support: https://www.mohawkcollege.ca/contact-registrars-office#contact-us
- Do not share your personal information or send money if you feel uncomfortable
Phishing
Scammers use email, phone or text and try to steal your passwords, account numbers, or Social insurance Number (SIN). If they successfully get this information, they could use it to gain access to your email, bank, or other accounts. They could even sell your information to other scammers.
HOW TO PROTECT YOURSELF
- Do not reply to or open links from a suspected scammer. All emails from Mohawk College will be sent from an official Mohawk College email address (email ending in @mohawkcollege.ca)
- Protect your cell phone by setting software to update automatically
- Protect your accounts by using multi-factor authentication
Job Scams
Scammers may pose as recruiters for well-known companies. These scammers may contact you through websites like LinkedIn or via email, and even throuhg text messages inviting you to a virtual interview for a position they say is a "perfect" fit for you. After you accept their offer, they ask you for personal information to "complete paperwork" and at that point you do not hear from them again.
HOW TO PROTECT YOURSELF
- Do not respond to unsolicited requests for your personal information
- Research the company/business and/or person who contacted you
- Be very cautious about offers with very high hourly wages with minimal work
Housing Scams
If you’re looking for housing off-campus, be aware of fake advertisements (ads). Scammers will often pose as landlords to take deposits of units that don’t exist or take your personal information for use in identity theft/phishing schemes
HOW TO PROTECT YOURSELF
- Do not provide confidential info that can be used for identity theft
- Meet the landlord in person
- Never rent sight-unseen
- Be aware of too-good-to-be true rent rates
- Consider renting from reputable property management companies
Phone/Online Scams
Fraudsters will pose as a government agency and claim you have unpaid debts. They will use forceful tactics to scare you into paying. Some will threaten arrest, court, or deportation if the debt is not paid.
HOW TO PROTECT YOURSELF
- Do not share any information if you feel uncomfortable
- Hang up and call the agency that they claimed to represent
- Report scam to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre (see link below)