HONOLULU (KHON2) – While many new graduates enter the job market or search for their first rental property away from home, the local Better Business Bureau warns that scammers may be targeting these young adults.
Cameron Nakashima from Better Business Bureau identified three types:
- Fake Job Offers Scammers impersonate real companies or create fake ones. They offer remote jobs or “hiring now” roles via email, text message, or social media. After a short “interview,” victims are offered the job—but must provide sensitive information or pay for training or equipment.
- Student Loan Forgiveness Scams: They mimic federal programs or call pretending to be with the U.S. Department of Education. They claim they can reduce monthly payments or eliminate loans altogether—for a fee. Victims are pressured to act quickly and give up FAFSA credentials.
- Rental Scams Scammers copy real listings or invent fake ones, post them on social sites or rental apps, and collect deposits before disappearing. First-time renters are especially vulnerable because they often don’t know what a legitimate lease process looks like.
Nakashima said to prevent falling into these schemes, you need to pay attention.
- Watch out when people reach out to you – especially via text. Across the board, recent graduates and young adults report the primary method of losing money to scammers is through text messages and with digital payments and payment apps.
- Do your research on the company. Look up its website, look for the address and contact info – does it all look legit? For example, for student loan forgiveness, that should be a government website (.gov). If its not, that’s suspicious. If the website looks good though, you should also check them out on BBB.org and other online reporting agencies to learn what people and professionals have to say about those businesses.
- Listen to your gut if something seems off – and get a trusted second opinion. If you feel like something is not quite right about an opportunity or offer but can’t put your finger on it, get a second opinion. You can ask a friend of family member or you can even call your local BBB office and we can give you advice based on our database of information.