Scammers target students looking for summer employment

ROANOKE (WSLS10)-- Summer break is here for high school and college students. Now, many of those teens are looking for a quick way to make some extra money-- something scammers are taking advantage of.

Many of these students only have three months to work and are looking to start making money as fast as possible-- making them more likely to fall for these seasonal employment scams.

Experts say we should always be wary of work from home, secret shopper positions or any job with a generic title, like Customer Service Representative. Experts also warn about positions with a big up-front investment, like expensive software or training, as those can be scams as well.

"If you're hired without any interview or anything," says Julie Wheeler with the Better Business Bureau. "[They say] 'We're going to send you a check, you deposit that check and send part of the money on and keep the rest of it for your benefit.' These are counterfeit checks and most people today know that."

Wheeler says it's also important to be cautious about jobs that offer online interviews over popular messaging services like Facebook Messenger or Google Chat.

If you're searching for a job, Wheeler says to look at places where you've worked before. It's also a good idea to apply in places that you can visit in person, walking into the business to introduce yourself and fill out an application. You can also search BBB.org or online reviews to see if a job you're applying for could be a scam.