UCLA Information Security Office is aware of UCLA students being targeted by fake job/internship scams that impersonate UCLA staff and faculty members. Be mindful of phishing emails that may be disguised as a job opportunity.
These messages often include the name of a real UCLA professor or administrator and may even copy their email signature to appear more convincing.
However, the actual sender address does not belong to UCLA. Instead, the emails are coming from external accounts such as @gmail.com, not from an official @ucla.edu address. This mismatch between the display name/signature and the true sending domain is a strong indicator of fraud.
In addition, some of these phishing emails contain a link to a Google Form disguised as an application form. The form uses UCLA logos and branding to make it look legitimate, but it is fraudulent and designed to collect personal information from students.
What to watch for
- Display names or signatures that look like UCLA staff, but the From field shows a personal gmail address (e.g., example@gmail.com).
- Requests to apply by contacting a secondary another non-UCLA email account, which is posing as a professor.
- Creates urgency by say positions are limited and encouraging to apply early.
- Unusual requests such as providing ID, Bruincard, resumes, or personal details.
What to do
- Do not click on suspicious links or provide any personal information.
- Do not respond to these messages.
- Use the Report Phish option in Outlook or forward the email to security@ucla.edu.
- If you have already replied, clicked a link, or shared information, contact the IT Security team immediately.
Always verify the true sending address and ensure that any application forms or surveys are hosted on official UCLA platforms before responding.
If you are interested in finding a student job at UCLA, consider searching for positions on UCLA Career Center powered by Handshake (link is external), or contacting a potential supervisor directly using their official UCLA email address and not from unsolicited sources.
Sender: Amanda Jonne <amandajonne@gmail[.]com>
Subject: Join Our Research Team | UCLA
Body:
The UCLA Department of Computer Science is accepting applications for part-time, remote research roles with a $350 weekly stipend.
Eligibility:
- Open to UCLA and non-UCLA students
- Remote, up to 7 hrs/week
- Strong interest in research and detail-oriented
To Apply:
Email Professor Allen Klinger at allenklinger.cs@gmail[.]com
Subject: UCLA Remote Research Opportunity
Include:
- Full Name
- Department
- University
- Year of Study
Positions are limited. Early applications encouraged.
Stay safe!
When in doubt, look for these signs, and use your best judgement. Verify the offer by contacting the company directly. Look them up online. Don’t use the number or email address from the email. Look for a contact in department website, call them and ask if this is a legitimate job offer.
If you are interested in finding a student job at UCLA, consider searching for positions on UCLA Career Center powered by Handshake (link is external), or contacting a potential supervisor directly using their official UCLA email address and not from unsolicited sources.
What to Do if You Paid a Scammer
No matter how you paid — debit or credit card, bank or wire transfer, gift card, or cash reload card — immediately contact the company you used to send the money, report the fraud, and ask to have the transaction reversed, if possible. For specific advice and tips on how to reverse different types of payments, read What to Do If You Were Scammed (link is external).
Report Job Scams
If you lost money to a job scam, report it to UCLA Police Department (link is external) and the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov (link is external).
