As students unpack their dorm rooms this fall, scammers are unpacking new ways to steal their money and personal information. A growing scam targets students with the false promise that they automatically qualify for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits just for being in college. The goal is to steal college students’ personal information and their identities.
These scams, which are spreading through text messages, emails, and social media posts, look official and convincing. They claim that students are “pre-approved” or “automatically eligible” for SNAP benefits just by confirming their student status and providing personal information. A link directs the student to a fake website or a form asking for personal data. But, in reality, this is a phishing strategy designed to get sensitive data like Social Security numbers, birth dates, login credentials, and more.
“Scammers are preying on students’ financial stress,” said cybersecurity and identity theft protection expert Michael Scheumack, chief innovation officer at IdentityIQ. “They know students can be desperate for any type of financial assistance and use that to trick them with false promises.”
While some students may be eligible for SNAP benefits under specific income and work requirements, there is no automatic qualification based solely on being a college student.
Scheumack said once scammers have your personal information, they can use it to access your accounts and even open new accounts in your name.
“Students can be handing scammers the keys to their entire financial identity,” he said.
The timing of this scam is deliberate. At the start of the academic year, students are distracted by class schedules, housing moves, and financial aid deadlines. That can make them more likely to act quickly when they see a message that looks urgent or financially beneficial.
How to Spot and Avoid the SNAP Benefit Scam
Scheumack said there are red flags students can look out for when it comes to the SNAP benefits and other scams that aim to gain access to their personal information. These red flags include:
- Be wary of messages that create a sense of urgency. Scammers often use language like “Your benefits will expire” or “Click here to claim your funds now.” These tactics are meant to make you act quickly and without thinking.
- Verify the source. If you get a message about SNAP benefits, don’t click any links or call unfamiliar numbers. Instead, look up your state’s official SNAP program or speak directly with your college’s financial aid office.
- Don’t click on an unsolicited link. Scammers use links to direct you to fake websites or download malware with the goal of getting your information.
- Don’t share sensitive information over email, texts, or social media. Government agencies will never ask for your full Social Security number, log-in credentials, and other personal data in this way.
- Use identity protection tools to protect your personal information. Services such as IdentityIQ identity theft protection can monitor for unauthorized use of your personal information and alert you if your data appears on the dark web or if new accounts are opened in your name.
“Scammers are smart, but students can be smarter,” said Scheumack. “It starts with protecting your identity.”
He said students, and really everyone, are at risk for identity theft. IdentityIQ offers identity monitoring, real-time fraud alerts, dark web monitoring, device protection, and full identity restoration support. IdentityIQ monitors all three major credit bureaus in real time because the platform was built on speed. According to Scheumack, this feature allows IdentityIQ to send its members alerts from all three major credit bureaus in real time so they can report fraud as quickly as possible.
“The whole key to identity theft monitoring is catching fraud as quickly as possible because it’s easier to repair the harm if you can catch it early on,” Scheumack said. “The longer it takes you to catch it, the longer it can take to restore your identity once it has been compromised.”
Don’t wait until your identity is compromised to get an identity theft monitoring service.
“Unfortunately, we live in a world in which it’s not a matter of if your identity will be stolen, it’s become a matter of when,” Scheumack said.
