University of Nevada, Reno Warned of Fake Job Scams
Campus police issued a warning regarding a rise in fraudulent internship and employment offers targeting students.
Updated on Sept. 21, 2026 in Internships
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The University of Nevada, Reno police department has reported an increase in fake job offers targeting the student body. Officials are warning students to be vigilant against scams that use vague descriptions and remote work promises to lure applicants.
Why it matters
Protecting students from financial exploitation is a priority as scammers increasingly use professional-sounding emails to impersonate university departments. Recognizing these tactics helps students avoid losing money to fraudulent onboarding processes.
University police noted an uptick in fraudulent job solicitations, warning that legitimate campus positions never require payment from applicants. This increase in reports coincides with a surge in deceptive emails sent from non-university domains.
The players
University of Nevada, Reno
This is a public research university located in Reno that provides academic and employment resources to its student body.
University of Nevada, Reno police department
The department is the primary law enforcement agency responsible for campus safety and issuing security alerts to the university community.
The details
Scammers are sending job advertisement emails from non-university addresses, often highlighting vague responsibilities and remote work requirements. The university clarified that any request for donations or fees during an onboarding process is a definitive sign of a scam.
Timeline
September 21, 2026: University police issued a formal alert regarding the rise in fraudulent job offers.
Market Landscape
This warning follows a pattern established by broader national trends of rising digital employment fraud reported by the FBI. Higher education institutions across the country are increasingly forced to centralize job portals to combat the rising arms race against sophisticated online scammers.
Students should ensure they only apply for roles through the official WorkDay platform to avoid falling victim to predatory schemes. Any job advertisement email not sent from a legitimate unr.edu address should be treated as a potential security threat.
The takeaway
Always verify the sender of a recruitment email to ensure it originates from the official university domain. If an employer asks for money or donations before or during the hiring process, discontinue communication immediately.
Further reading
For more on finding safe professional opportunities, visit Internships.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Kolotv.
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