A Michigan teenager avoided sending $900 to fake job recruiters, but depositing their fraudulent checks still cost him access to his bank account.
Jassal, a 16-year-old student from Troy, received an email advertising what appeared to be a part-time work-study position connected to his school.
The supposed employer later sent him three $500 checks and instructed him to return $900 through Zelle.
The checks bounced before Jassal completed the transfer, so he lost no money to the scammers. His father, however, said Bank of America closed the teenager’s account and planned to report the closure to bank-account screening companies.
The Offer Came From a Familiar School Email Domain
Jassal received the offer in June. It described the position, schedule and compensation and ended with the signature “Sincerely, Bloomfield Hills Schools,” according to WXYZ.
The message came from a student account rather than an administrator, counselor or district employee. Still, it used the bloomfield.org domain associated with his school system.
Jassal attends International Academy East in Troy. Bloomfield Hills Schools is administratively connected to the school, and students use bloomfield.org email addresses.
The district said it had been unaware of Jassal’s specific case. The available report does not establish whether the student account was compromised, imitated or knowingly used by someone participating in the operation.
Three $500 Checks Came With a $900 Zelle Request
Jassal completed an application providing his name, address, telephone number and email address. The supposed employer then emailed him three checks worth $500 each, for a combined $1,500. He was instructed to deposit them and send $900 back through Zelle.
Jassal did not complete the $900 transfer. When the checks were returned unpaid, he recognized that the position was fraudulent. Jassal’s father, Jasvinder Singh, said Bank of America closed his son’s account after the three fraudulent deposits.
Singh also said the bank planned to report the incident to ChexSystems and Early Warning Services. Singh feared that his son could have difficulty opening another account for up to five years.
His Parent Can Request the Reports and Check the Description
Because Jassal is a minor, a parent or legal guardian can request his ChexSystems consumer disclosure using the company’s form for requests involving minors.
ChexSystems can be contacted through its consumer portal or at 800-428-9623. An Early Warning file disclosure can be requested through Early Warning’s consumer-information page or at 800-745-1560.
The reports should be reviewed for the bank’s name, account-closure date, reason and any indication of suspected fraud, unpaid debt or account abuse.
If the information is inaccurate or incomplete, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau advises filing disputes with both the reporting company and the bank that supplied the information.
A Closed Checking Account Can Affect Future Applications
ChexSystems and Early Warning Services compile specialty consumer reports containing information about checking and savings accounts. Banks may review those reports when deciding whether to open a new account. This banking history is separate from a traditional credit report and credit score.
ChexSystems says its current practice is generally to retain reported information for five years, but each bank applies its own account-opening policies.
A ChexSystems entry does not automatically establish that every financial institution will reject an application. The actual effect depends on what Bank of America reports, whether that information is accurate and complete, and how another institution evaluates it.
School Job Offers Should Be Verified Outside the Email
A student receiving an unexpected work-study or district job offer should contact a counselor, school office or human-resources department through a telephone number listed on the school’s official website.
The recipient should not rely on the sender’s school-domain address alone. A genuine student or employee account can be compromised and then used to contact people who recognize the domain.
Bloomfield Hills Schools said phishing and other forms of cyber fraud continue to affect individuals and organizations and encouraged students and staff to verify unexpected emails and requests before acting.