University students are receiving fraudulent messages from scammers offering grants, or saying that the student had been selected to receive a grant. The scam usually starts with a text message shortly followed by an email. The students are asked to respond or to fill out a form with personal information.
Legitimate grant offers will not show up by surprise—you will need to apply for one. If you receive an offer out of the blue, it is most likely a scam. Legitimate grants also will rarely ever ask for an application fee or money up front. You can read more about grant opportunities at Fordham University here.
As a general rule, any message that is unexpected, impersonal, and urgent should be regarded as suspicious. If an offer seems too good to be true, then it is likely a scam. If you receive questionable or suspicious emails, contact IT Customer Care and allow the University Information Security Office (UISO) to validate the legitimacy of these emails.
