How to identify fraud and scams

Scammers sometimes target students & fellows by pretending to be Handshake in order to steal personal information, money, or account access. 

Knowing what to look for can protect you. Use this guide to quickly spot red flags and stay safe!

What scammers are after

Scammers typically want:

• Sensitive personal information (Social Security Number, bank details, credit card numbers, passwords)
• Account access through fake links or login pages
• Money (wire transfers, gift cards, cryptocurrency)

Important: Handshake and its partners will never ask for sensitive information via text, in-app messages, email, phone, social media or WhatsApp.

The only times you’ll provide sensitive information are through:

• Persona (identity verification during account creation)
• Stripe (payment processing, taxes) 

Handshake provides you with access to all of the tools and sites related to the Handshake AI Fellowship. Steps for setting up Stripe along with screenshots of what to expect are available in How to Set Up Stripe.

Important: If you're being prompted to share any sensitive personal information through another site, or if the experience does not match the screenshots in our articles, do not enter any information or proceed further - contact Handshake AI Fellow Experience team to verify!   

Learn more about Handshake AI Payments Processing. 

Common red flags

Be cautious if a message includes any of the following:

• Requests for sensitive information
  • Requests for your passwords or other account information 
  • Requests for your SSN, bank account details, or credit card numbers
  • Requests to share any of this information via messages, email, WhatsApp, phone, or Google form
• Suspicious links or attachments
  • Links that look unusual, shortened, or don’t clearly belong to a real company
  • Unexpected attachments or login requests
• Urgent or fear-based language
  • Messages that pressure you to act immediately, such as:
    • “Your account will be suspended if you don’t click now.”
    • “Immediate action required.”

Scammers often create urgency so you don’t stop to verify.

Common scam types

Fake job or project offers on Handshake: Someone may contact you with an “opportunity” outside the Handshake platform

Red flags:

• Asking to move off Handshake to apply or provide PII (via email, WhatsApp, phone, Google Form)
• Does not ask for your credentials or verify your identity 
• Requests for personal or financial information outside the Handshake onboarding process
• Poor grammar or overly casual tone

Impersonation on Handshake: Scammers may create accounts or profiles pretending to be official organizations (Handshake, Schools, Employers)

Red flags:

• Urgent messages (“Act now or lose access”)
• Suspicious profiles or accounts
• Messages claiming to be “Handshake Support” 
• “Student” accounts offering support

Impersonation off Handshake: Scammers may pretend to be a Handshake employee reaching out with invitations or followups 

Red flags:

• Misspelled or fake domains (e.g., joinhandhsake.com, joinhandshake-careers.com)
• Generic, valid email addresses (e.g. handshake.helixprojectlead@gmail.com, handshakeprojectlead@gmail.com)
• Requests to complete a Google Form as part of validation or verification (e.g. provide either your Handshake Code or your Handshake Password)
• Urgent requests to avoid delays or disqualification

Quick Reference: Red flags vs. legitimate communications

A full list of official email domains and additional tips are available in How to Recognize Legitimate vs. Fraudulent Communications.

If you receive a suspicious message: contact Handshake AI Fellow Experience team to confirm email address validity or report any suspicious interactions.

If your account or information has been shared or compromised: as soon as possible, take the recommended steps in Safety: Protecting Your Personal Information.