A new scam, posing as an honor society, is being sent to TJC student emails.

“The scam in question is called a phishing email, in which an email is sent to a recipient in the hopes of enticing them to give out personal or financial information. They are quite common and target a wide variety of people, this one specifically targets college students,” Nathan Hogan, vice president for fundraising of the Phi Theta Kappa Omicron Chapter, stated in an email.  

The scam was brought up at the Student Senate meeting on Feb. 20 during student speak. Hogan was the one who mentioned the scam.

“It is from an organization called ‘Honor Society,’ that claims to be inviting students to join with as little as a 2.0 GPA. They are an official organization but they offer very little to the students who give them their credit card numbers, and will charge that card every year that it is active,” according to an emailed statement from Hogan“The goal of a scam like this is to use the official status of the organization to skirt the law, while using the (predominantly) official appearance of the emails to entice the student to give out their billing information.”

This phishing email was sent twice—one time on Feb. 12, and the other on Feb. 19. The emails start the same way. It says, “Your name: Scholarship Deadline Approaching.” 

According to Hogan, phishing scams can affect anyone who hasn’t analyzed the email to make sure it’s legitimate. Hogan recommends taking the time to look at the sender’s email address or research the organization. 

Additionally, the Federal Trade Commission defines phishing as a type of online scam that targets consumers by sending them an email from what looks to be a reputable organization or business. The FTC lists internet service providers, banks and mortgage companies as examples. 

Moreover, Phi Theta Kappa is taking action against the scammers because the scam organization is posing as an honor society. PTK is an international honor society. According to ptk.org, Phi Theta Kappa recognizes the academic achievement of college students and provides opportunities for its members to grow as scholars and grow as leaders. 

“The higher-ups in PTK headquarters are currently attempting to take the organization behind the scam to court. But as with most groups like this, it’s hard to fight something like this, and even if they are made to cease and desist, they can just as easily close down and then open shop elsewhere,” Hogan stated in an email. “In the meantime, local chapters are raising awareness on their local campuses, informing and warning students so they can be prepared when it lands in their inbox.”

There are a few ways to avoid phishing scams, but Hogan recommends education. Education against these scams will help someone stay aware of what to look out for. 

Moreover the FTC recommends protecting your technology by using multi-factor authentication, backing up your data and by using security software. The FTC also says not to reply to any suspicious emails. 

Hogan mentions PTK is looking to raise awareness toward this phishing scam. According to Hogan, it’s a simple phishing scam that is looking to target students. 

Report any suspicious emails to [email protected]. Any emails sent will go to the IT Department, and they will investigate the report.