Avoiding common college scams this back to school season

MILWAUKEE - The Wisconsin Better Business Bureau (BBB) is reminding college students and their parents to stay vigilant of potential scams as the school year starts up again. 

Scams targeting students 

What to know:

According to the Wisconsin BBB, these are some common tactics that scammers use to lure college students in order to steal data, money, identity, or other information from them. 

• Impostor scams: Scammers often use phishing emails, claiming to be from the school's financial department. The phishing text or email might instruct the student to log into the institution's website, thereby gaining their login info.
• Fake credit cards: Students are often targeted to enroll in credit cards, which can be tempting as college expenses add up. This can snowball for some students and cause financial problems later in life, but more crucially, some of these offers are entirely bogus. It is important to look into any credit card offer before applying.
• Supposedly-affordable and convenient apartment listing: The old adage of "if it looks too good to be true, it probably is" applies to catching this type of scam. If the listing is offering great prices super close to campus, it might be worth pausing to investigate the listing to ensure it is legitimate. Always ensure you check out a listing in person before completing a money transfer, regardless of where the listing is posted.
• Identity theft: It's never too early to keep an eye on your credit report. Unusual or unrecognized activity can indicate potential identity theft fraud. You can check this for free on the official government site annualcreditreport.com. The BBB also explains here how to recognize if someone may have stolen your identity.
• Scholarship or grant scams: If someone reaches out claiming that they may be able to reduce student loan payments or offer large grants or scholarships, it's important to research the company's name. This could show you that others have flagged suspicious behavior from this organization. You can always contact your school's financial aid office for advice and assistance as well.
• Online shopping scams: These often can come through on social media and apps. Scams are increasing online and the BBB offers tips here.
• Test prep scams: Sometimes scammers impersonate companies that help students pass or excel at exams. After the student responds, these scammers will sometimes blackmail students into paying money under the threat of reporting them for cheating to their institution, which could lead to explosion.

You can always contact your local BBB if you are uncertain about something that could be a scam and report scams to the BBB Scam Tracker. 

Identity theft avoidance tips

What you can do:

The BBB also has recommendations for specific things students can do to help prevent identity theft. 

• Send sensitive mail to your permanent address or a P.O. box.
• Store away important documents, such as social security cards, passports, bank or credit statements.
• Never lend your banking information, including credit and debit cards, to anyone.
• Guard your passwords and never distribute them to anyone. Only use strong passwords online.
• Be vigilant of any phishing scams, such as the ones outlined above.
• Keep your personal computer updated with antivirus and spyware software. Updates and patches to your computer's operating system help keep your device and the information on it safe.
• Check your credit and debit cards closely so you will be aware of any suspicious activity if it pops up.
• Exercise caution when shopping online to make sure you are shopping with legitimate businesses.
• Check your credit report at least once a year, as you are entitled to one free report annually.

BBB education info

Dig deeper:

You can look into more information regarding good practices at school and university on the BBB's back-to-school HQ page. They offer resources for good shopping habits, safety practices, money matter advice, as well as education resources. 

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