The CSUN student thought the job posting for a professor's assistant to help organizations struggling through COVID-19 looked like a great opportunity to help out during the pandemic.
She was directed to deposit a phony check into her bank account. While waiting for the funds to go through, she was told to transfer her own money to different cash apps to help places like orphanages and shelters.
"Once I got the check I was like, 'OK. It's not processing fast enough," said the student who didn't want to use her name. "And then that's when my bank actually froze my account, restricted me from accessing my account, receiving or sending money."
The check bounced and she lost the money she transferred.
"It ended up being that it was a scammer," said the student. "They ended up using the CSUN emblem, CSUN name."
CSUN police put out a crime alert for all students, saying beware of any suspicious emails that could be a scam.
Authorities say scammers find people on social media and tailor their messages to the person's likes and interests. Anything that has to do with moving money around in bank accounts is a major red flag, police said.
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This student who spoke to NBC4 was scammed out of $1,500. She wants others to be aware.
"I tried to do something good but it ended up backfiring. Now I just want the students to know that people are out there scamming students and people out of their money."
