Parents and students are being urged to watch out for SAT prep scams.
According to the New York Department of State’s Division of Consumer Protection, scams abound as students seek out tutors and prep material for the exams. In a new scam, parents receive calls from individuals claiming to be from the College Board or other educational institution that has SAT prep materials their child ordered; however, they need a deposit and address before they can send them. Once the materials are returned, the deposit is refunded. Those who fall for this, never receive any prep material and lose their credit card information to scammers.
“Prepping for and taking the SATs can be stressful enough without having to worry about scammers taking advantage of you with new, convincing tactics that seem legitimate,” said Secretary of State Walter T. Mosley. “As young New Yorkers prepare for the upcoming round of tests, we are urging both parents and students to be vigilant in protecting their sensitive information. Do your research before offering any payments and remember, you should not share personal or financial information over the phone with unsolicited callers.”
The Department of State offers these tips to keep your bank accounts safe from scammers:
Understand The College Board’s Practices:
- The College Board is the organization responsible for the SAT exams. They offer free materials to prepare for the SATs on their website. You can find the information here: https://satsuite.collegeboard.org/practice
- The College Board will call to follow up on student inquiries but does not make unsolicited calls or ask for your credit card/bank information or passwords over the phone. You can find out more information on how they operate here: https://satsuite.collegeboard.org/practice
Check with your child:
- If the caller says they are calling about a request from your child, let the caller know you need to confirm with your child before you talk to them.
- If you need to call the College Board back so you can confirm with your child, contact them directly at 866-680-9990. Do not trust unknown phone numbers provided by an unsolicited caller.
Confirm the legitimacy of the organization and always be wary of unsolicited calls:
- If the caller claims to be with another educational organization besides the College Board, research the organization before deciding to work with them.
- Search for the organization name and reported scams or complaints.
- Ask other parents if they have worked with the organization.
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